For several years the couple have been cleaning up the roadside and raising money for the Canadian Cancer Society in the process. Their pickup truck always had “Cans for Cancer” painted on the back to alert approaching cars.
Now they’ve upgraded their ride.
“We were in Sudbury last year,” said Mr. Voutier, “and this guy had a cube van.”
One thing led to another and before they knew it they were driving that 1989 cube van home to Newfoundland.
Mr. Voutier said it has about 280,000 kilometres on it not that much for a diesel.
The Voutiers have decorated it with cancer ribbons of all colours. The “Cans for Cancer” slogan is now painted on the back of the truck as well.
Because of the size of the truck, Mr. Voutier said he at first had trouble getting insurance for it. He was told it would have to be commercial insurance, which is much more expensive.
The only loophole was to fit the truck out as a camper, which he did.
“I had to put a bed and a stove in it,” he said. “Now if we want to go somewhere picking up cans overnight, we’re all set.”
The Voutiers were getting ready for a rip to Labrador last week in their new cube van to pick bakeapples. They say they’ve found a bumper crop on the southwest coast and wanted to see if the picking was is good in Labrador.
Of course Mr. Voutier wouldn’t rule out picking up a few bottles along the way too if he encountered them.
At this year’s Port aux Basques Relay for Life, Mr. and Mrs. Voutier presented organizers with a cheque for $1,820 - all the money they had raised in one year from collecting empties along the road.
