The 505th CCW has the Midas touch! Turning trash into golden scholarship opportunities for a child! Published Feb. 7, 2008 By Capt. Laura Ropelis 505th Command and Control Wing Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Florida -- A clever new recycling initiative a "Bring your Recycling to work Day" will be held on Feb. 29, 2008 at the 505th Command and Control Wing to raise recycling awareness for the base and contribute to a new $1,000 college scholarship fund for eligible local students. It all started with the 505CCW's Facilities Director, Mr. Richard Williams, who made a recommendation to the base recycling committee to turn "trash into education" and get the word out that "recycling can help people in our local community with college expenses," said Williams. The base recycling committee supported the idea and Mr Williams and Mr Craig Overstreet (1SOECS/CEV) were appointed to create the scholarship program and finalize the selection criteria for students to become eligible. "This is a good start, my goal is to provide five $1000 college scholarships through the Hurlburt Field Recycle Center" said Williams who is amazed at how blind many people are to the great good they can be a part of, "and it's so simple to do." "Most folks ask "What's in it for me?", well, now the answer is: "You have helped someone get a college education, who knows what that person might become in the future." NOT recycling is literally like "reaching into your pocket and throwing your money in a trash can," said Williams. The profits from recycling on base, thousands of dollars, are used to pay for quality-of-life events such as the Sound of Independence Fireworks display, Fall fest, Cruise-in and the Holiday Tree Lighting/Card Contest as well as other base recreational activities the base could normally not afford because of budgetary constraints. "If we can show people how we do it, give it back to people, and advertise it," said Williams, "we can make a difference by just dropping off "trash" for free instead of paying for recycling." "I'm no card-carrying environmentalist but this just makes good common sense." said Williams jokingly. "Everything we recycle is being diverted from a landfill somewhere, we have to pay to landfill our trash, heck some of us are even paying to recycle from our homes but, thanks to the Hurlburt Recycle Center, we can GET paid to recycle and it's a good thing for the earth as well." Williams added, "Yep, I pay my trash and recycling bill every month but I still bring recycling from home and put it into our wing recycling bins." Items such as aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles, other plastics, precious metals, cardboard, white paper, toner cartridges and car batteries can be brought on base to recycle. Mr Williams has challenged all members of the 505CCW to bring in a bag or two of recycling from home on Feb 29 and turn it into something that makes a difference for a child. "We're a tenant wing on Hurlburt and we're doing our part," said Williams, "to contribute to a great cause," and invites the entire Hurlburt community to be a part of this new recycling initiative to help students pay for college. The success achieved by the 505th on Feb 29 will likely ignite a base-wide "Bring your recycling to work Day". Of course, in the mean time any family member, child, or Hurlburt employee who has access to the base can drop off their boxes, glass, cans, cardboard, equipment and recycling products at any of the recycling containers located around the base or can drop it off at the Recycling Center at the back gate beside the fire department.
The 505th CCW has the Midas touch! Turning trash into golden scholarship opportunities for a child! Published Feb. 7, 2008 By Capt. Laura Ropelis 505th Command and Control Wing Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Florida -- A clever new recycling initiative a "Bring your Recycling to work Day" will be held on Feb. 29, 2008 at the 505th Command and Control Wing to raise recycling awareness for the base and contribute to a new $1,000 college scholarship fund for eligible local students. It all started with the 505CCW's Facilities Director, Mr. Richard Williams, who made a recommendation to the base recycling committee to turn "trash into education" and get the word out that "recycling can help people in our local community with college expenses," said Williams. The base recycling committee supported the idea and Mr Williams and Mr Craig Overstreet (1SOECS/CEV) were appointed to create the scholarship program and finalize the selection criteria for students to become eligible. "This is a good start, my goal is to provide five $1000 college scholarships through the Hurlburt Field Recycle Center" said Williams who is amazed at how blind many people are to the great good they can be a part of, "and it's so simple to do." "Most folks ask "What's in it for me?", well, now the answer is: "You have helped someone get a college education, who knows what that person might become in the future." NOT recycling is literally like "reaching into your pocket and throwing your money in a trash can," said Williams. The profits from recycling on base, thousands of dollars, are used to pay for quality-of-life events such as the Sound of Independence Fireworks display, Fall fest, Cruise-in and the Holiday Tree Lighting/Card Contest as well as other base recreational activities the base could normally not afford because of budgetary constraints. "If we can show people how we do it, give it back to people, and advertise it," said Williams, "we can make a difference by just dropping off "trash" for free instead of paying for recycling." "I'm no card-carrying environmentalist but this just makes good common sense." said Williams jokingly. "Everything we recycle is being diverted from a landfill somewhere, we have to pay to landfill our trash, heck some of us are even paying to recycle from our homes but, thanks to the Hurlburt Recycle Center, we can GET paid to recycle and it's a good thing for the earth as well." Williams added, "Yep, I pay my trash and recycling bill every month but I still bring recycling from home and put it into our wing recycling bins." Items such as aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles, other plastics, precious metals, cardboard, white paper, toner cartridges and car batteries can be brought on base to recycle. Mr Williams has challenged all members of the 505CCW to bring in a bag or two of recycling from home on Feb 29 and turn it into something that makes a difference for a child. "We're a tenant wing on Hurlburt and we're doing our part," said Williams, "to contribute to a great cause," and invites the entire Hurlburt community to be a part of this new recycling initiative to help students pay for college. The success achieved by the 505th on Feb 29 will likely ignite a base-wide "Bring your recycling to work Day". Of course, in the mean time any family member, child, or Hurlburt employee who has access to the base can drop off their boxes, glass, cans, cardboard, equipment and recycling products at any of the recycling containers located around the base or can drop it off at the Recycling Center at the back gate beside the fire department.