The Keepers of Popcanistan bank $18k for puppies, kittens
Home At Last Staff members Malia Steinbach and Carlos Holeman deal with a lot of cans along with volunteers at Home at Last Humane Society in The Dalles. One recent haul included 180,000 cans in two semi trailers was worth $18k.
By Tom Peterson
Recycling cans and bottles may not be the most glamorous work.
Especially when you lift a garbage bag full into a truck and the accumulated liquid of old beer soda, and who knows what, leaks down your arm or hits you in the face.
But, darn, if it doesn’t pay well for our furry friends.
Like $18,000 recently at Home At Last Humane Society in The Dalles.
That’s 180,000 cans - enough to fill two semi-trailers.
And volunteers and Home At Last staff put a hand on every one of them at their sorting center on River Road in West The Dalles.
Executive Director Central Oregon Animal Friends Stephen Drynan oversees shelters in The Dalles and Madras.
“Thank you, absolutely thank you,” said Executive Director Central Oregon Animal Friends.
Stephen Drynan this morning to all the volunteers and staff that make it happen. “We can’t do it without them.”
Volunteer parties on Feb. 26th and 27th and one on March 12 have been huge in getting bottles and cans sorted and loaded into an Oregon Bottle Recycling Cooperative. The cooperative out of Portland supplies trailers and provides transportation.
“I was there one day… of the volunteering,” said Ray Swift, a board member at Home at Last.
“There is a little piece of heaven right there,” he said of sorting cans and bottles. “You always run into a couple of ashtrays and some leftover Mcdonalds. Let’s face it; it’s a real paradise, especially if it has had time to cure. Some people almost lost their lunch.”
“But it does pay,” Swift said.
Drynan said it is pretty easy for the recycle program to get overwhelmed, noting 128 bags of bottles and cans were dropped off in a single weekend.
Home At Last staff members Malia Steinbach, 40, and Carlos Holeman, 36, deal with it a lot. They were on hand this morning, March 18.
Malia said that oftentimes the drop-off shute for the recycling bin will fill and people just leave bags next to the fence.
Drynan, who oversees shelters in The Dalles and Madras, said total recycling generated $175,000 last year, accounting for almost 17.5 percent of their annual $1-million budget.
The money is used for general operations such as paying for staff and feeding pups and kittens.
Home at Last is always looking for additional volunteers. Click here if interested. Or apply in person at the shelter at 200 River Road, The Dalles.
Adding to the Local Economy
Drynan said Home At Last places cats and dogs with people outside of the community, such as Portland and areas even farther away. He said they encourage those visitors to spend a weekend in the gorge, rent a hotel room and eat at local restaurants.
Get Your Shoes On
He also said people should plan on attending the Dimes for Dogs Walk-A-Thon on May 21st. Details on the event are expected in weeks to come.
