We are pleased to announce that Hope Mountain Black Bear Committee has just finished picking cherries for Wendy Lucas, who lives on Sixth Avenue in Hope. She has had bears in her fruit trees before and this year she decided, that she wanted the fruit picked instead of have it go to waste or attract bears and donate it to charity instead.
When volunteers from HMBBC went canvassing door to door in the spring, she was the first to sign up for the food-gleaning program of Hope Mountain Black Bear Committee.
This gleaning program is available to all residents of Hope who have fruit trees, but not enough time or energy to pick the fruit, or don’t want to have the fruit at all. You can sign up ahead of time and let us know what kind of fruit you have, or just call when your fruit is ripe and you need help.
HMBBC volunteers will pick the fruit and 1/3 goes to the tree owner, 1/3 stays with the pickers and 1/3 will be donated to the food bank or any other local charity.
One of the great unseen benefits of this program is the removal of the fruit as a bear attractant which greatly reduces the chances of them becoming unwelcome guests in your neighborhood and a safety issue for all.
For information about volunteer opportunities with this program or HMBBC , or if you want to schedule a gleaning, please contact Lydia at 604-860-4558.
Lydia Koot
Chair, Hope Mountain
Black Bear Committee