County of Inverness launches bingo based beach cleaning competition

The County Council of Inverness in Cape Breton has started a unique competition called Beach Clean-Up Bingo! to encourage people to clean up litter on local beaches.

The hope is that beachgoers will pick up the bingo cards — which feature images of various types of trash such as bottles, aluminum cans and cigarette butts — and check off the boxes as they pick up matching items.

Participants are also encouraged to take photos of what they pick up and email them to the council.

The bingo cards can be printed from the county’s Facebook page or picked up at the county offices.

The idea was first trialled in 2021, but the council said they were not drawing as many participants as they had hoped.

“We’ve been on hiatus because of the difficulties engaging individuals through COVID. And now we’re really focused on ramping up our education programs again, so we’ve kicked that off to the public,” said Keith MacDonald, the county chief. officer.

MacDonald said after a year-long hiatus and making some changes to the competition, the council is excited about relaunching the project.

“There are a lot of residents who want that [take part] and find it very necessary to help clean up our environment. So we’ve had really positive feedback,” said MacDonald.

‘Maybe we can win’

One of those interested in the project is Mary Janet MacDonald, who has lived in Port Hood for most of her life. Although she says she doesn’t always go to the beach, she wants to participate in the competition with her grandchildren this year.

“When I saw this I was like, you know what? They would like this and it would give them a little incentive to say, ‘Maybe we can win Grandma,'” she said.

Stephanie Myette from Port Hawkesbury shared the county’s Facebook post about the contest and said she hopes her two nephews will take part.

“It will be good for them to learn how to save the environment, how to save the earth, how to sort recycling,” she said.

Beach Clean Up Bingo! started on July 1 and runs until the end of the month. People who submit their cards will be entered into a draw on August 4 to win Mabou Farmers Market gift cards.

MORE STORIES