Scott Warner and his son Cael, along with fellow farmworkers Ken, Sandreen, and Daniel are the kind of campers Keremeos should be happy to have residing in the area.
The group has made a big difference in the appearance of the former farmworkers campground near the cement plant in Keremeos. Over the past few weeks, several large truck loads of refuse has been collected from the flood plains and dragged up to the dike to village waste barrels for proper disposal.
“We felt we couldn’t leave it like that,” said Scott, who is from Calgary. He currently resides in a trailer, taking advantage of the last of the season’s farm labour before pulling out for the season.
“I’m disappointed that the younger campers left the area like that,” Warner added, “you have to respect this land - all that is left here has the potential to wash into the river.”
Even though the campground was officially closed this season, transients habituated to living there last summer insisted on setting up camp again this year. Many sites were occupied for several weeks, and when the campers pulled out, some left garbage and personal effects no longer needed.