Anderson issues challenge to Maricopa residents

Long-time resident Oliver Anderson, representing the Maricopa Rotary Club, is issuing a challenge to all Maricopa residents. The first person to meet or beat his recycled cans’ total weight will win four steak dinners at The Duke’s Silver Spur restaurant. Recycled materials must be brought to the Stage Stop Country Store by October 1, 2005.

Over the last three or four years, Anderson has recycled enough cans to fill 10 drums of 50 gallons each. This week he brought in six more drums filled with crushed aluminum cans. The total weight was 129 pounds on the Stage Stop scale. The drums were weighed with the cans, then emptied and reweighed.

Oliver Anderson dumps his recycled cans after weighing them.

Anderson remarked, “I get my cans along the road at my farm. People just throw them out, you know.” Not only is Anderson contributing to a worthwhile project, he is also waging a one-man clean-up campaign.

Anderson and the six drums full of cans he has picked up along the roadside near his farm.

The $51.60 Anderson received for his cans will be donated to the local Rotary Club. Funds are earmarked for the Shoebox Project to send school supplies, clothing items, toiletries and toys to underprivileged children in Mexico. This particular project has been an ongoing one with Tucson Rotarians for several years. Now Maricopa’s Rotary Club is also involved.

Anderson and Pat Clark discuss their Rotary Club’s Shoebox Project.

Pat Clark at Maricopa Mountain Plumbing is spearheading the drive for shoeboxes and items to fill them. Rotarians are asking for shoeboxes, which may be Christmas wrapped; however, the lids have to be wrapped separately in order to pass customs’ inspections.

Items requested are school supplies, including crayons, pencils and small notebooks, small toys that do not require batteries, toiletries like shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs and brushes. Clothing items such as underwear, socks, hats and gloves that will fit children up to age 12 are also needed.

If you have any donations for this project, bring them to Clark at Maricopa Mountain Plumbing located near Bashas’ in the Maricopa Fiesta Center. For more information, contact her at (520) 568-8424.

And, don’t forget to save your aluminum cans!