Caring For Our Environment Manitoba launches a Series of Summer Events amid COVID-19 Pandemic


CEM Members with CBCRA staff Nick Witoski at Winnipeg Harvest

Ramon Faustino M. Sales, Jr., PhD., President, Caring for our Environment – Manitoba, Inc.

The Caring for our Environment –Manitoba (CEM), Inc. held three events this summer to promote knowledge and action on environment and sustainability issues amidst the COVID-19 pandemic while still observing public health protocols.

Last August 15, 2020, CEM held a Litter Clean Up at the Assiniboine Park in coordination with the Assiniboine Park Conservancy. Fifteen volunteers consisting of youth, small kids and members of the organization joined the activity. Kayla Lang, the Associate Coordinator for Volunteer Services of Assiniboine Park Conservancy, welcomed the group and provided them with garbage pickers and bags. Additional clear plastic bags for recyclables donated by the Canadian Beverage Container Recycling Association (CBCRA) were also distributed by CEM. The event was filled with excitement and enthusiasm especially among the small kids as they walked around the vast greenery to pick up litter. Much to their delight, a friendly deer showed up as the group passed through the Boreal Forest section of the park and stayed long enough for them to take “selfies” and group pictures. The volunteers look forward to volunteering again in the near future.

The CEM also launched its first summer plant seedling fundraiser last July 5, 2020 to raise funds for its planned awareness-raising activities for this year and the coming year. These will include “CEM Talks” using virtual platforms possibly with an in-person component following public health protocols in place. A variety of organic indoor plants and vegetable seedlings donated by CEM friends were sold at the parking lot of the former Sobeys supermarket at Burrows Avenue corner Keewatin Street. CEM would like to thank its generous plant donors: Lawyer Heidi Cruz, Lourdes Still, Myra Nunez, Mylene Pamplona, Rosalie Salazar, Rizalina Cortez, and May Sales as well as CEM friends and members who helped make the event a success.

In partnership with the CBCRA, CEM embarked on a food hamper fundraiser last June 13, 2020 for the benefit of the Winnipeg Harvest. This not-for-profit organization dedicated to help support Winipeggers in need through food surplus donations and provision of training opportunities, initiated a food hamper project in response to the adverse economic impacts of COVID-19 pandemic, where an estimated 64,000 Manitobans (or 4% of Canada’s 1.6 million population) had applied for Employment Insurance. Winnipeg Harvest anticipated that it needed to feed around 90,000 Manitobans or even more as the pandemic worsens. CEM handed over a total of 202 kilos of food items and $281 cash donation to Winnipeg Harvest. CEM would like to thank the following donors to this fundraiser: Gina Gabriel, Jomay Amora-Dueck, Ernesto Ofiaza, Teody Leano, Roselyn Advincula and CEM members.

For inquiries regarding activities of CEM and application for membership and volunteering, please send us an email at: caring4environment@gmail.com