Ben Franklin Builders Club collects bounty of pop-can tabs
April 18, 2012 5:16PM
Updated: May 21, 2012 8:33AM
Those middle school kids did it again!
The Ben Franklin Builders Club, for the entire school year, has collected pop-can tabs with the hopes of topping last year’s amount. With a plea to TJ Builders Club, AKtion Club, and Kiwanis, club members watched their big container fill up. The result was 611 pounds of pop tabs. (There sure are a lot of cans being popped around here!)
Even though the entire club, including teacher sponsor Kaye Frataccia, and Kiwanis representatives Lauren and Jeff Lamb, tried to move the bin, it wouldn’t budge.
Task Force Tips came to the rescue, loading the crate into one of its trucks, and drove it to Metra Recycling with a carload of kids trailing behind.
Once the pop tabs were weighed, the club learned they had raised $399.10, almost $100 more than last year’s efforts. The money is “tabbed” for Ronald McDonald House in Indianapolis to help defray costs for parents whose children are patients at Riley Hospital for Children.
According to Lauren Lamb, although the most important outcome of the pro-ject was to help others, the students truly had a learning experience by being shown the various items that are recycled, such as computers and scrap metal; watching cans crushed and made into bricks; and also enhancing their math knowledge by figuring out how much volume the tabs take up, how many tabs make a pound, why the bin is weighed empty before the tabs are added.
The most important thing the students learned, in my opinion, is what a great feeling it is to work at something that will help others in need. They are already planning on topping this year’s poundage next year.
Way to go girls and guys — you are my pet persons of the week for doing for others.
When I was at Valparaiso High School earlier this week, there were pieces of a yummy cake being shared.
It was a congratulations cake for the Men’s and Women’s Chorus, which earned the gold award with a superior distinction rating at the ISMMA organization contest held at Lowell High School last Saturday.
The 70-voice chorus was required to perform three selections for three judges. One selection was required, with another being a selection they had never seen that had to be sight-read and sung a capella.
Choir director Linda Schonbachler said the group did an amazing performance of the assignment. Of course, she has a permanent smile on her face with the pride she has for her students.
But after the hoopla, it’s back to learning as the voices begin to practice for their May 5 performance, when it will be the Concert Choir’s time to shine.
The South Haven Boys and Girls Club is readying for this year’s “Battle of the Badges” tournament, May 18 and 19.
All police and fire departments can enter to prove they deserve the basketball tournament championship title to carry until next year. The $150 team registration fee benefits the Porter County Boys and Girls Clubs.
So all you men and women who serve us daily, get your team registered by calling Ron Ranta at 759-2565 or emailing rranta@bgcpoco.org.
Then the rest of us can show up that weekend and cheer for our favorite team. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for children accompanied by adults.
While you’re waiting for these games, I hope we’ll see you at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, at Valparaiso High School, to laugh at and with the Valpo Celebs team as it battles the Harlem Wizards. Tickets are available at all Valparaiso elementary schools. Go! Fight! Win!
Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote to support the Valparaiso YMCA in its effort to earn a Livestrong Community Impact Project award.
All those votes earned it a $3,500 grant which will be used to make a difference in the lives of cancer survivors by offering a supportive program in physical and social activities.
The 12-week free program will be open to everyone touched by cancer; “Y” membership is not a prerequisite.
Lee Baker, YMCA senior director of programs, was so appreciative of the community support and noted that, “This award will directly impact our ability to support those in our community who are affected by cancer.”
We can all be thankful for what we have in Porter County, so now I hope you have a great day because you deserve it. Thanks for reading. Fly your flag.
