Recyling program is a win-win for Loyalist

By Rebecca Rempel

If it’s no longer in use, recycle it.

Just in time for spring cleaning, the Loyalist College post-grad public relations students, in partnership with Quinte Waste Solutions and Ontario Electronic Stewardship, held an electronic drop-off Saturday.

The event raised money for Camp Trillium. The results are still to come.

Students in bright orange vests directed vehicles to the rear of trailers where more student volunteers unloaded the used electronics, while the drivers never had to leave their vehicles or lift a finger.

“It’s been insanely busy. It’s crazy to see how people have come out and supported this,” said Chris Barnim, a post-grad PR student and the Loyalist College student government president.

“We could not predict how this was going to go,” said Barnim. “We decided to take the risk and it’s paid off.”

Twenty students, split into two shifts, volunteered their Saturday to help unload electronics.

John Cowan, a second-year radio broadcasting student, volunteered his time after PR students came to his class asking for help.

“I really love helping out with the PR group,” said Cowan. “They do a lot of cool stuff.”

“It’s like going back through memory lane, like remember when that TV used to be $10,000 and now it’s like $500 on Kijiji or something. It’s a bit of nostalgia.”

Quinte Waste Solutions will take the donated electronics to Ontario Electronic Stewardship where they will be purchased by weight.

“Our goal is $1,000 which will send a kid to camp for 10 days,” Barnim said.

By the end of the day, one of the two 53-foot trailers was filled and the second trailer started.

“Some of (the money raised) goes towards the cost from Quinte Waste Solutions for the trailers but most of it goes to Camp Trillium.”

Camp Trillium, created in 1984, holds camps for children with cancer and other life-threatening conditions.

There are two camps in Ontario, one at Oddfellow and Rebekah Island near Sandbanks Provincial Park and one at Rainbow Lake in Waterford. They also offer day camps across Ontario.

Camp Trillium provides “an environment that normalizes relationships and experiences, helping children and their families in the healing process and enhancing their quality of life.”

The programs are funded by donations.

Forty-four different electronic items are accepted by the Ontario Electronic Stewardship including TVs, computers, scanners, cellphones, stereos, print cartridges, iPods and mp3 players, as well as VCR, DVD and Blu-Ray players.

For more information on the disposal of electronic items, contact 613-394-6266 or visit the website at http://quinterecycling.org/.