You might remember the story about Ed Kelley from a couple of weeks ago. In early March, Ed, a Snoqualmie resident and retired Weyerhauser employee, volunteered his time and materials to repair the educational signage at Stillwater Bog, which sits adjacent Snoqualmie Community Park near Cascade View Elementary – a kind of secret forest inside our stereotypical suburbia.
Ed loves the bog and trails located in this forest that sit on land once owned by Weyerhauser and is now home to Snoqualmie Ridge. He regularly takes afternoon walks and stops at the boardwalk inside the bog.
Lately Ed said he’s been disgusted by all the trash left behind by others who appear to also enjoy visiting the bog – just possibly at a different time of the day. He said based on the garbage left behind, it’s apparent some like to have parties and then leave behind their empty containers – i.e. whiskey bottle, beer cans, plastic bottles and bags, candy wrappers.
So Monday, March 30, 2015 Ed decided to haul his ladder out to the bog and clean up all the trash left in the circular open area at the boardwalk. He said this isn’t an easy feat at age 68. It required hoisting the 8-foot ladder over the side of the boardwalk and down into the bog below – and climbing down to retrieve all the trash and then hauling it back up the ladder.
But then along came Parker and Brock on their bikes…
Ed said the two boys watched as he climbed out of the bog with a bag full of garbage and offered to help him with the clean-up project.
Ed said Brock and Parker easily made the repeated trips up and down the 8-foot ladder, grabbing the remaining garbage. He said the boys were better suited for the ladder climbing than his “a little older and maybe over-the-hill legs.” (Actually Ed says he’s not quite over the hill – just approaching the crest.)
With Brock and Parker’s help, it only took 20 minutes to clean the trash out of Stillwater Bog – and the boys even offered to find the nearest trash can to “dispose of their daily catch.”
Ed said alone the clean-up project would have easily taken him over an hour – so he was very grateful for the boys’ enthusiastic help in cleaning up the bog he considers a great spot to visit and observe nature in the wetland environment.
Great job Ed, Brock and Parker. Not too many people will just jump over the side of a platform and start picking up garbage.
And to top it all off, Ed said Parker and Brock offered to help again as FOTB – Friends of the Bog. That is, unless people want to stop leaving garbage behind?
Thank you for all the hard work guys!
Comments
Kudos and thx to all 3! Anyone else notice the ‘Warning, you’re under surveillance’ on the paved trail over by the bog? Was curious if they are ROA sponsored or if the residents backing up to the trail foot the bill.