Recycling challenge fundraiser—it’s in the bag

At first glance, used, plastic shopping bags might appear to be worthless trash. But look again. They have the potential to participate in Wal-Mart’s Kids Recycling Challenge, and they could lead to big bucks—as they did for the K-Kids Club of Century Elementary School in Clovis, California.

In the program, which exists in California and Salt Lake City, Utah, elementary schools compete in a plastic bag drive. Participating groups automatically receive US$5 for each 60-gallon bag they turn in filled with plastic shopping bags, and the school that turn in the most wins $1,500 and an environmentally-themed school assembly. Schools with second and third most receive $1,000, and $500, respectively.

The Century K-Kids rallied their school to collect 193 bags-worth of bags, adding up to $965. They won the overall challenge.

But the year before wasn’t nearly as successful. The club had learned about the recycling challenge midway through the program, participating in only the final six out of 16 weeks, says advisor Debbie Young, who is a member of the K-Kids sponsoring Kiwanis Club of Old Town Clovis. The K-Kids still managed to amass 24 bags, earning $120.

The club invested that $120 into an even better collection this past year.

“The K-Kids said, ‘Let’s make this a schoolwide competition,’” Debbie says. “They decided to use the money to award pizza lunches to three classrooms that donated the most bags (the top upper-grade participant, top lower, and top kindergarten).

“Then, some of the teachers got into it, offering to give a special ‘pizza lunch with the teacher’ to the top classroom participant. The whole school really got into it.”

Debbie says the Wal-Mart program provided two bright green bag-recycling receptacles, and the club advertised the challenge in weekly newsletter bulletins, morning announcements, and a few posters.

She adds that the club’s board will vote on what to do with its $965 winnings and will possibly purchase a gift for the school—maybe a bench—or a donation to an animal shelter. The club gave the $1,500 it earned for first prize to the student body, and the student body will determine how to use the winnings for the school.

“These are very, very giving children,” Debbie says. “They want to give to everything!”

The club already is planning for next year’s bag-drive recycling challenge.