“Dead tree walking,” someone shouted as a car pulled up with a former Christmas tree tied to the roof in the parking lot of Walnut Grove Secondary School.
Chad Friesen, leader of the 1st Walnut Grove Scouts, added it to a growing pile awaiting the arrival of the wood chipper that would grind the trees down to sawdust.
Across the parking lot, volunteers sorted through donations to the troop bottle drive.
It was one of several tree chipping and bottle drive fundraisers on Saturday in the Langleys, at least eight, by different groups raising money for different causes.
Over at the Willoughby Elementary School parking lot, the newly-formed Langley Extreme softball team of 10- to 11-year-old players was having its very first bottle drive, sharing the space with the 1st Willoughby Scouts, who were holding a tree-chipping in the same lot.
“These girls are a first-year team so it’s very important for them to do as much fund-raising as they can,” said Amanda Ellis, a member of the team fundraising committee.
The ball players had beaten the scouts to booking the parking lot, but were willing to be reasonable about it.
“They graciously agreed to share,” said Susie Clark of the scout troop.
“I’m really happy.”
READ MORE: Tree-chipping season has begun
At H.D. Stafford Middle School, where students were raising money for their band, Jared Wiebe, co-owner of Central Valley Tree services, was feeding trees into a wood chipper and explaining that the company donated the service free of charge every year.
In fact, Wiebe said, another Central Valley chipper was at work, grinding trees into sawdust for donations at a different location.
There are still a few opportunities for people who missed the biggest tree chipping day of the year.
On Sunday, the 2nd Brookswood Scouts will be at Brookswood Secondary, 20902 37A Ave., from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.for chipping by donation.
Next week, the 1st Walnut Grove Scouts will be back at Walnut Grove Secondary School, 8919 Walnut Grove Dr. parking lot from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 12. Pick-up is available by donation.Contact Brent at 604-720-4805 or treepickup@1stwalnutgrovescouts.ca.
As well, both the City and Township will pick up trees with curbside greenwaste pickup, and the trees will be composted.
Trees should be cut into sections no longer than three feet, bundled, and set out next to the greenwastecontainer on regular collection day. Remove all decorations, tinsel, and flocking.
People can also take their trees to the Township transfer station. A minimum $10 tipping fee applies.
