A five-year-old boy who has a passion for recycling held his fifth birthday party at the recycling centre in Maple Ridge.
This is the first time in the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society’s history that they have hosted a birthday party in its more than five decades of operation.
Himmat loves recycling so much he sorts the family’s recycling at home, watches recycling truck videos daily, and every Monday morning, he even waits curbside to wave to the recycling truck driver.
“In our 50-plus year history, this was a first,” said executive director Alda Nicmans.
“Himmat attended a tour of the recycling centre this past summer and absolutely loved it,” explained his mother Joti.
So, Joti and Himmat’s father, Steve, reached out to the society with the unique request – to host Himmat’s birthday party.
Recognizing the significance of the request, society staff embraced the opportunity to create a memorable experience for Himmat by transforming the electronics storage bay into a festive party space and displayed a “Happy Birthday” message on the recycling centre’s electronic sign throughout the day.
They welcomed 16 of Himmat’s classmates and 25 adults, who enjoyed an engaging behind-the-scenes experience at the recycling centre.
The group also had the experience of watching a hydraulic tipper truck unload material, they observed scrap metal being crushed, and saw 450-kilogram bales of paper being formed.
“Our operations team came together and made it happen. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with the community in a new and meaningful way,” said Nicmans, who also noted the celebration highlighted the important role community engagement and education play in fostering a culture of waste minimization, recycling, and environmental stewardship.
The event concluded with pizza, a birthday cake, and plenty of excitement.
“There truly are no words to express how full Himmat’s heart is. He is already asking to come back for the recycling centre’s summer tour,” said Joti.
For more information on the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society go to: https://rmrecycling.org/.