Photo by Cole Breiland

Anyone lost a pair of Dora the Explorer socks?

Ian Kaufman

Features Editor

The last howl of winter subsided just in time for a group of volunteers to perform a cleanup of the McIntyre River on Sunday. But the cleanup, for those who participated, was much more than a warm and fuzzy do-gooder mop-up job. It was also a de facto archaeological study of the McIntyre River, a sociological experiment in kitsch. What did this investigation reveal about the river’s “user group?” The answers were equal parts hilarious, puzzling, infuriating, and disheartening.

Some finds were predictable: the cornucopia of marijuana paraphernalia showcased the inventiveness and ingenuity of Lakehead students. Discarded beer cans, water bottles, and candy wrappers testified to the impatience of travellers in search of a garbage can. One of the most common finds was clothing left over from impromptu camps set up in the fall, pointing to the popularity of the area with Thunder Bay’s homeless. The origins behind other debris were more difficult to deduce: a roasted boot, children’s toys, a pair of ‘Dora the Explorer’ socks discovered in the brush, and a plastic lobster.

The cleanup was organized by students in the Lakehead Leaders program, a new initiative designed to “empower [students] through skills-based seminars, community engagement activities, and specialized leadership training.” It was a small-scale effort, acknowledged student ambassador Chris Zaiser, but he believes these kinds of small initiatives can add up to foster a culture of volunteering and involvement. And if any of you cynics needed proof, the cleanup proved that it pays to do good deeds – one girl happened upon a cool $10.