Recycled pop tabs contribute to Ronald McDonald Houses

Phyllis Minsuk

Two Ronald McDonald Houses in the Phoenix area provide housing for families of ill or injured children who travel here for treatment at local hospitals or medical centers. Not only do they have a roof over their heads, but they gain support from other families and volunteers from the community. No one is ever turned away, and no one pays more than a nominal fee for the comforts of home.

PC residents generously contribute to a unique fundraising program that supports these houses by collecting tabs from beer, soda, tuna and dog food cans.

If you haven’t been saving your tabs, this would be a perfect time to start. Just put a baggie in a top drawer in your kitchen and start putting the tabs in. When you have a bag full or it gets in the way, drop it off at the desk in TF or EN. Les Minsuk is always happy when he gets a call to come and pick up the tabs to add them to the holding bins in his garage.

Les takes them to a Phoenix recycle center to be weighed, collects payment and sends the money to the Ronald McDonald Charities. The tabs pile up quickly. Many PC residents and clubs are conscientious about saving them, adding to the recycling efforts of the community and contributing to a very worthy cause at the same time. Friends often hand Les a Ziploc baggie with a few tabs or fill a small cardboard Ronald McDonald House with tabs during a home or club party or unit event.

Be green; contribute to a worthy charity at no cost and very little effort.