For the third year in a row, KidSport Alberni offered Christmas tree recycling at the AV Multiplex as a fundraiser. This year's two-day event, held Jan. 7–8, helped raise $1,250 for the program, spokesperson Ron Doetzel said.
Members of the Port Alberni Fire Department volunteered their time, as did KidSport members, to collect the trees on location at the Multiplex. The trees were taken to the City of Port Alberni's public works yard, where they were chipped up and added to the city's compost program. The wood chips are used in the city's many public gardens and around trees.
KidSport took on the tree recycling program three years ago after the Scout program—which had previously had a curbside pickup service—closed in the Alberni Valley. Although Scouting has started up again, KidSport retained the tree recycling program.