Our Board of Directors President, Doug Copp, was recently named Volunteer of the Year by the Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona. Doug donates his time to numerous nonprofit organizations in the Sedona area and works tirelessly to improve the community through his efforts.
Doug has been volunteering at Sedona Recycles for more than 20 years, and is one of our longest serving volunteers. He is not only a Board member; he has worked on numerous construction projects at the recycling center and volunteers every weekend as a member of the yard staff, emptying bins, baling materials, and keeping the operation running smoothly.
We are forever grateful and indebted to Doug for his incredible generosity and his unending support of Sedona Recycles. We can’t think of anyone who deserves this honor more than he does. And we know there are many of you in the community who give your time to the worthy organizations that serve Sedona and the Verde Valley. Nonprofit organizations depend on volunteers like you to keep their operations running.
When Sedona Recycles was founded in 1989, it was a volunteer-based organization. Our facility on Shelby Drive was built with donated materials and hours of volunteer time, and volunteers originally maintained all of our community drop-off sites. These citizens cleaned, educated, and sorted materials for the sake of our environment.
As the years have passed and the material volumes have risen, however, we have transitioned to an organization that depends almost entirely on paid staff. But we are realizing now more that ever that volunteers like Doug are what we need most. Sedona Recycles needs dedicated individuals who care about recycling and waste reduction and want to use that passion to serve the public.
So what does a volunteer at Sedona Recycles do? The possibilities are practically endless. Here are some examples:
Meet and Greeter: We are a busy facility and need help answering questions, checking members’ status for electronic recycling drop-off, and helping customers find things we offer to the public, such as bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and egg cartons. Tuesday and Thursday mornings we need someone to help patrons dispose of their documents during paper baling. You will learn a LOT about recycling and meet some fabulous people in the process!
Cleaner & Organizer: There is always something to sweep up, put away, reorganize, dust, or clean, and litter to pick up off the street. You can learn a lot about the business side of recycling, and what goes where and why.
Processor: Styrofoam processing and getting batteries ready for shipping require a lot of attention. If you have a good eye for detail and like the satisfaction of seeing how much material you help keep from the landfill, this is for you. This can look cool on your resume too – “I helped process x pounds of material, and we never had to pay a fine for my batteries being incorrectly packed.”
Line Sorter: Like to get in the zone? Help us sort all the mixed plastics and cans that come to the facility. You will learn about the enormous variety of products on the market and what is and is not recyclable.
Gardener: Help our gardens grow by planting flowers, pruning existing plants, and making sure everything gets enough water. You can take pride in keeping Sedona Recycles beautiful.
Educator Assistant: If you are creative and have teaching skills, we can use your ideas for classroom activities. Help us design lessons and make hands-on activities. Also help with education events and outreach tables. This provides great experience in the field of education and is very rewarding!
Crafter: Plan recycled crafts and organize a monthly class. You get to keep your creations and be inspired by your students.
Fundraiser: If you have ideas about how to bring in funding, we need you. You will get everlasting good karma.
Adopt a Business: Small businesses sometimes don’t have the resources to recycle. Volunteer to pick up their materials and take them to a drop-off site. You can assist in a waste audit and help a business get to near zero waste!
If you have an interest in donating your time to support our waste reduction and recycling efforts, please contact us and we will find a task that suits you. Sedona Recycles is always seeking volunteers from any part of the Verde Valley. Anyone is welcome to volunteer, including students on summer vacation. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Jean at outreach@esedona.net or (928) 204-1185.
by Meghan Kincheloe and Jean Turocy, Sedona Recycles
Sedona Red Rock News
July 20, 2016