The folks at Westminster House are giving back to their community during Clean Up in New West.

Westminster House, a recovery home for women, is holding the Clean Up New West event at Hyack Square on Sept. 11. Westminster House has been helping women recover from their addictions for more than 25 years.

For Westminster House's development assistant, Susan Hogarth, giving back is part of the journey she began several years ago. After 30 years of self-managing her addictions, she needed help.

"I was out of control and full of shame, using one drug to help me manage my addiction to another drug," she said in a press release.

Help from her daughter brought her to Westminster House in 2007, but change wasn't easy.

"I was in addiction for so long, it took two months for me to really want to leave that life behind," Hogarth said. "After four months, though, I knew my life was changing dramatically."

Gratitude is a key element of Clean Up in New West, during which teams of people will compete to clean up the most garbage and recycling from around downtown New Westminster. The day's events will include family activities, such as face painting, a pie-eating contest, puck shoot and a chinlone (combination of sport and dance) demonstration.

"For some people, gratitude is just a word," said Sarah Franklen, executive director at Westminster House. "To the staff at Westminster House, it's an action, it means actively giving back."

Clean Up in New West takes place on Sept. 11 at Hyack Square.

Registration begins at 11 a.m. for participants, with the cleanup contest kicking off at noon.

Electronics to be recycled and clothing donations can also be dropped off between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

All proceeds from the event will support Westminster House Recovery Centre for Women. See www.cleanupinnewwest.ca or call 604-524-5633 for details.