Since they started at the end of November 2020, Parys in Action (PIA) has collected no less than 522 bags of rubbish from the main street of Parys and other open areas, mostly visited by tourists. It is a success story of a small group of dedicated people.
They started with the help of six guys, cleaning the town every week while creating jobs with a regular income. Now, with the help of Thembane and Patrick, committed to the group’s weekly clean-up effort, they collect between 60 and 70 bags of rubbish every Thursday.
This weekly clean-up all started with a man on a mission, Braam Cilliers, the passionate and energetic chairperson of PIA. However, without all the people he surrounds himself with, the group would not have been born. It has taken over six months to develop from its infancy as a legally registered NGO, into something bigger, making a huge difference in their community.
The ongoing lockdown of 11 months has resulted in many businesses having to close temporarily. Many others carry the scars of having to close forever. “But nothing keeps our sense of duty going like a crisis”, says June Britten, a member of PIA. “Still in ‘crisis’ mode as the scenario continues in apathy, it forced ratepayers to come forward with all their willingness and skills to keep Parys alive and clean.” The group members contribute their time and effort to make sure Parys stays on the map as a popular tourist town. As a bonus for those who live here, “we can look at each street with pride and hope that, one day, Parys will reach its peak, as it was before the neglect set in,” she says. The NGO registration costs were extremely high and this exercise would not have seen the light of day without the help of Stonehenge, which volunteered to contribute the full amount. Pick ’n Pay contributed for the full amount to the advertising and marketing costs.
The two carts which are wheeled up and down Breë Street were designed by a gentleman outside Parys, and sponsored by Sake Liga and Kleynex Trading Solutions. These carts are designed to easy transport the dustbins and holders for the brooms, rakes etc. Every Thursday, Crater Coffee supplies the coffee. The group now also owns their garden implements, provided by Jacks Paint. Businesses like Wiggins Motors, AB’s Pub, Johan Goosen, Riverbush Lodge and many others (too many to name) contribute monthly or weekly. Sakeliga sponsored the first clean-up.
PIA thanks all those who take pride outside their businesses and keep Parys in the spotlight with flower boxes and plants. Much of the almost 522 black refuse bags of rubbish filled up to now has been domestic refuse. It had been disposed of by residents who were either too lazy or disinterested to dispose of their mess responsibly.
