Residents in Campbell River and the Comox Valley are being invited to roll up their sleeves and help clean up the area as the 7th Annual Small Planet Garbage Cleanup Contest gets underway.

The annual event is open to individuals, schools, businesses and community groups for the month of April, with participants encouraged to collect litter from beaches, parks, trails and neighbourhoods as part of the community-wide cleanup effort.

Organizers say the event has grown significantly since it began in 2020, when 18 people took part and 300 dollars in prizes were awarded.

By 2025, participation had climbed to nearly 1,900 people, including 14 schools and several community organizations.

Close to 10 tons of garbage was collected, with more than 10 thousand dollars handed out in prizes.

Organizer and Small Planet Energy's Tara Jordan says the goal for this year is to make the cleanup the largest yet, noting spring is when litter is most visible along roads, trails and shorelines.

You can find details online at Small Planet Energy.