Faulkner brings home $2500

File photo of Pop Can Recycling Program Committee Chair Ellen Faulkner

For a solid year the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity has been raising funds by collecting pop cans in association with the national ‘Alcan Builds on Recycling’ partnership program.

The program had affiliates collect aluminum cans and Alcan matched dollar for-dollar the funds raised through can recycling program, up to a maximum of $2,500 per year. Plus Alcan awards the top three Canadian affiliates that recycle the most cans with $60,000 which represents the cost of one Habitat build.

Over the weekend the Canadian chapter of HFH held their annual general meeting where the awards were handed out. Devoted Pop Can Recycling Program Committee Chair Ellen Faulkner reports North Bay did not bring home the $60,000, however, the affiliate did collect the maximum can amount bringing home a $2500 cheque.

“I feel proud of what this Affiliation has accomplished,” notes Faulkner.

“And with this being the first time trying and out of 71 affiliations I was on stage with 18 affiliations to receive the $2,500. I feel this is only a beginning with the Recycling Program that our affiliate can have.”

“Hopefully with the support of North Bay and Blue Sky Region this year we will double our recycling program to $20, 000,” she adds.

Faulkner says the Rio Tinto Alcan company is launching the Rio Trinto Alcan Sustainable Homes Program for HFH Affiliates for 2008/2009 program year.

This program will focus on three areas Quality, Safety and Innovation.

“As this is a new program we still need to educate our affiliation more on this program,” she states.

“But we are still collecting pop cans, scrap metal.”

This year’s winners were:
Kanloops 168,121 pounds: $278,521.99
Vancouver 77,764 pounds: $46,288.08
Greater Kingston 28,827 pounds: $14,025.93

The 2007/2008 year the North Bay affiliate raised $6,683.74 plus the $2.500 = $9,183.74