Berend Geurts took leave from the university on 31 August, as project manager DYNAMIC, his last of a series of relationships on campus that have spanned more than two decades. In his own Heyendaal neighbourhood, Geurts and his children are already setting a good example as community heroes: they regularly go through the neighbourhood with a grabber and rubbish bags to clean up the mess. ‘You are sometimes surprised that after just one week there is so much to clean up.’
The concept of ‘Community heroes’ was devised by Dar, a way to raise awareness of litter among children, who are regularly put in the spotlight for their cleaning services. Every year there is a ‘Community Hero Day’, the last one on 1 September in Park Brakkenstein, where all participating children in Nijmegen and neighbouring municipalities were treated to a festival.
Cleaning up litter during lunch walk
Geurts shows a picture of a Dar waste truck, with two life-size children's drawings on it. ‘One is of my daughter,’ he says, as a result of one of the Dar activities to reward children for their work. Geurts wants to transfer the enthusiasm from his neighbourhood to the campus, aiming especially at employees as ‘Community Heroes’. 'The idea is for people to take a grabber and rubbish bag in their lunch break walk and return the full bag to the container after the walk. Staff take such walks more often than students, although of course they are also welcome as heroes.'
Those who walk their laps on campus can get involved, but so can those who take their walks in surrounding neighbourhoods. 'Think of Brakkenstein, who are inconvenienced by the parked cars of our staff. That way, you can also give something back to the neighbourhood,' says Geurts.
Radboud Community Heroes was recommended by Berend Geurts to Realize your Idea, Green Office's sustainable idea generator. Also have an idea: submit it. The official opening of Community Heroes is on 2 October at 3 pm at the Radboud Green Office. From that day on, waste containers will also be ready at the Maria Montessori, Elinor Ostrom, Erasmus Building and Berchmanianum where you can take grabbers and waste bags. The exact locations can be found on the Radboudwalks page.