Think twice before you toss old cell phones or used ink and laser cartridges in the garbage. Simply dropping them into a box located at the main entrance of the Ponoka Youth Centre (PYC) will help raise much needed funds for the valuable programs they offer our community, while helping the environment as well.
The program fundraiser called “Think Recycle” is simple and effective.
Any ink or laser cartridge or old cell phone turned in by any community member will be boxed and shipped away to Greentec. PYC will earn funds for each qualifying piece in return and for every 24 cartridges and/or cell phones submitted, Tree Canada and American Forests will sponsor the planting of one tree in Ponoka Youth Centre’s name.
Fundraising co-ordinator Morgan Chernick is impressed with the success the program has seen in just one week and is looking forward to the benefits this program will bring the youth centre as well as the environment over time.
“We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to raise funds that Ponoka hasn’t seen,” said Chernick. “We just began this fundraiser last week and we’re already able to send away our first box containing 50 items. Each item shipped away is worth a set amount of money that will help find our programs and help the environment by recycling and having trees planted in our name, which is very exciting. We get the most money for cell phones and for anyone concerned with what will happen to the information stored on it, the phone gets demagnetized and everything on it is deleted.”
Ink cartridges from fax machines cannot be accepted, but everything else is welcomed and appreciated. The fundraiser has no time limit and will continue running until the centre’s goal is met.
Ponoka Youth Centre hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from Monday to Friday for anyone interested in dropping off items. If businesses, schools, or households in the community need materials to be picked up, Morgan will be happy to collect them at your request as well. She can be reached by phoning 403-783-3112 or by e-mailing morganc@telus.net.