Image: Dave Stephen and/or Salina Derish / A variety of trash was collected from Harrison Lake on a recent dive and shore clean-up by Green Party of Canada candidate Salina Derish, along with other volunteers.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Cleanup event/meet and greet

Chilliwack-Hope Green Party candidate to hold Earth Day cleanup event at Cultus Lake next week

Apr 17, 2025 | 4:24 PM

CHILLIWACK — Salina Derish, the Green Party candidate for Chilliwack-Hope in the upcoming federal election, wants to meet local constituents next week and give back to the community in a practical way.

Derish, a former Army reservist, correctional officer and entrepreneur, is getting into the swim of things by organizing a cleanup of Cultus Lake, both in the lake and shoreline around Main Beach, next Tuesday, April 22 on Earth Day.

The event is being billed as “Cultus Lake Clean-Up and Green Party Meet and Greet.” Divers will be cleaning litter from beneath the water’s surface while volunteers help clean up along the shoreline and surrounding areas.

“Whether you’re a local eco-hero or just want to lend a hand, every piece of garbage collected makes a difference,” said Derish. “Let’s clean up our lake and spark change together – above and below the surface.”

The clean-up will occur between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., followed by a meet-and-greet period from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. in which locals can converse with Derish.

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“Bring your questions, ideas, and community spirit” say Derish. “This is a great chance to connect, learn more about clean waterways, and talk about environmental issues that matter to you.”

Complimentary coffee will be provided. Please bring a reusable cup to help keep this a low-waste event.

Derish is an environmental advocate and expert when it comes to sustainable living, having spent her life pursuing solutions. In 2018, she founded PickEco Refills, the Fraser Valley’s first zero-waste grocery store. To further reduce environmental impact, she launched PickEco Compost in 2020, offsetting her business’s carbon footprint. As president of PickEco Zero Waste Society and a founding director of the Downtown Chilliwack Market Society, she has worked to strengthen food security, support local farmers, and inspire real change. Derish was nominated as the Green Party’s candidate for Chilliwack Hope in February.