A cleaner has raised $645 this year to help support after school programs at the Women’s Resource Centre in Fernie, by recycling items that would otherwise be thrown away.
Guy Beaulieu is employed by a number of businesses in Fernie as a cleaner, and after throwing out garbage bags filled with bottles, cans and other recyclables, he came up with the idea of using them to make a little extra cash.
“People are really happy to give me their recyclables when they know it will help raise money for a good cause,” he said.
Lauren Fox from the Resource Centre, said the money is used to fund their after-school groups for girls.
“The money could be just going into Guy’s pocket, and it’s a really considerable amount,” she said. “It is so generous of him to take the time and make the effort to take all the stuff to the recycling centre.”
We use the money to buy things like snacks, because you can’t have an after-school group without snacks!” she said.
“Without this money from Guy we probably wouldn’t be able to have these programs. We need to be able to pay for snacks and to sometimes take the girls out for a slushie and things, otherwise they wouldn’t come.”
Since Guy started collecting empties in September 2009 he has raised nearly $1,000.