E-Waste Event Proves Successful

Recently, the student and parent volunteers from the Grove School Farm Campus gathered together to put on the school’s yearly Free E-Waste Recycling event. People came from near and far to contribute. “The Grove School Farm Campus is our 7th through 9th grade campus; we are a public charter school, and we’re collecting E-Waste to raise money for our athletic programs here at the school,” said Doug Claflin, a parent volunteer at the Grove School Farm Campus. While the weekly Farmer’s Market was taking place in the back of the campus, people were driving, towing and lugging in their electronic waste to be donated in the front. There was no charge or fee to donate and it was as simple and convenient as a drive-thru. Donors pulled their cars and trucks up, dropped off their junk, and pulled right out all within minutes. Jeffrey Chevrier, who drove through to donate an old television shared, “I would definitely do it again. This is a great event, I love having the free e-waste. I’ve donated computers, radios, monitors and stuff like that. It’s for a good cause, and it clears up space in the house.” Throughout the day, many people drove through and brought their electronics. The e-waste was unloaded, separated into specific piles and placed into bins. And it was the student and parent volunteers who helped people unload trucks and kept everything in order. “There are always a few student volunteers from the school who help out. The event is only twice a year, and we promote it by posting up flyers and signs, and [we] advertise it in some of the local businesses,” student volunteer Matthew Thornton stated. The word got out, and many people helped contribute for the cause. For the Grove School Farm Campus, the money raised was one benefit of having the event since it was going towards the athletics program for the school. But the other benefit was the relationships built between those who put it on. “The parent participation with the kids and the school makes everybody a lot closer throughout the year,” said parent volunteer, Christine Garcia. “I really enjoy helping out.”