|
Staff Sgt. Art Taylor of Putnam Valley Stationed in Iraq, Raises Money for Handicapped Children
Raises Money for Handicapped Children
by SPC Amanda Solitario 210th MPAD
 | | Staff Sgt. Taylor counts caps collected for a terrific cause |
|
It started as a class project at Ramstein American Middle School in Germany only a few months ago. Since that time, the endeavor has jumped borders, catching on at forward operating bases across Iraq.
The bottle cap collection craze is helping to purchase a wheelchair for a disabled child in France. The goal is 1 million plastic bottle tops, and in exchange, a recycling company in Europe will donate the wheelchair. Thanks to the U.S. military, along with the children at the middle school, they are halfway there.
The movement of the program from Germany to Iraq began in May when Air Force Staff Sgt. Jessica Martinez, of the 332nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, heard of the ongoing program at her home station in Ramstein.
During her deployment to Anaconda, she got involved in the project and even expanded the collection to include the Army units on the base.
Before her departure, she managed to send more than 120,000 bottle caps back to Ramstein for donation, and the collecting continues today.
When the 411th Engineer Brigade, an Army Reserve unit out of New Windsor, N.Y., arrived in September, their predecessors had bottle cap collection points throughout the office, but nobody knew why they were saving the tops.
After a little investigation, Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Murray, the public affairs representative for the brigade, got to the bottom of the bottle cap mystery. "I thought it was a hoax, and most of the Soldiers thought it was a joke too," he said. An email confirmed that it was not a cruel prank at all, but rather a great way to help a handicapped child.
"Most of the Soldiers like the idea of helping out, and it doesn't take that much extra effort," said Murray.
If a bottle cap is thrown away in the 411th Eng. Bde. building, it will surely be found by Staff Sgt. Art Taylor, a paralegal with the unit and a native of Putnam Valley, NY. Taylor said he is such an advocate for the program that he will rummage through the garbage can to dig out the precious caps.
"I have a weakness for children," he said noting that everyone should do their part to help.
After the collecting is finished, the unit wants to keep the tradition going. They are in the process of trying to coordinate with recycling plants in New York to donate school supplies for Iraqi children in exchange for plastic bottle caps.
"We hope to continue this for two reasons," Murray said. "Recycling means less trash, and we just want to keep the good going."
Providing local news, information and opinions from
Philipstown and Putnam Valley, NY
Encompassing the Villages of Cold Spring and Nelsonville,
and the hamlet of Garrison, Putnam County, NY.
This site is a publication of The Putnam County News and Recorder, the source for news and information of the Philipstown
and Putnam Valley area. The PCN&R is 139
years old, published in hard copy every Wednesday, and circulated throughout Putnam
County, NY.
The PCN&R prints LEGAL NOTICES
for: Putnam County, The Town of Philipstown, The Town of Putnam Valley, Village of Cold Spring, Village of
Nelsonville, the Haldane Union Free School District and the Garrison Union Free School
District.
Deadline for printed press releases, advertisements and classifieds is Monday at noon for
Wednesday publication. This site is updated on an as-needed basis with a minimum update
weekly on Thursdays. For further information or to request a subscription to the paper, please
contact us with your name and mailing address at:
(845) 265-2468 PO Box 185, Cold Spring, NY 10516, or e-mail us at editor@pcnr.com
If you see an advertiser on line, tell them! | Click ads below
for larger version
|
)