How to help with the recycling swap shop project

The first two Rotary St Francis recycling swap shops have been a great success.
And so many children from Sea Vista have responded – so many that last week the organisers , St Francis Rotary, said they ran out of goods for the children to get in exchange for recyclable things.

The swap shop in Sea Vista now urgently needs stock before it opens again this Friday afternoon. Rotary St Francis also needs volunteers to help run the project each week and recyclable items to give to children participating in the project.

The swap shop stocks basic foodstuffs, school stationary and toiletries. The most popular items in the J-Bay project shop are : toilet paper, soap, 2 minute noodles, oats, balloons, marbles, pencils, tea, shoes, clothes, notebooks, toothpaste and other toiletries.

The children collect ‘mulas’ for the recyclable material they bring in. They then use the mulas to buy items at the swap shop.

No sweets and junk toys are stocked. Children can also ‘save’ mulas towards a goal such as a rugby ball, cricket bat, school uniform, or even a bicycle.

“For the children of Sea Vista this project buys them something meaningful each week either for themselves or to assist their families,” says Tracy de Jager , chairperson of St Francis Rotary. “For the broader community of St Francis, it means cleaner streets and beaches and a leg up for our local environment. It really is a win-win project.”

For anyone wanting to donate items for the swap shop or hand in recylable material that can be given to Sea Vista children, they can do the following:

* Collect and separate into the four categories (Paper, Tin, Glass, Plastic)

* then donate the collection to their workers who have children participating in the swap project.

* Items for recycling can also be dropped off at Talhado Children’s Haven only on Friday afternoons between 2-4 pm.

Note: The recycling depot at the St Francis Bay shopping centre is not part of the project at present.

The following items can be recycled: paper, cardboard, magazines and tetrapak, tins and cans, glass bottles and jars, plastic bottles and containers , yoghurt cups, bottle caps, ice cream containers, polystyrene and cling film.

If anyone wishes to make a cash donation to the project, please contact Lynette on 042 294 0411

(Written by Bev Mortimer )

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