Donate old holiday lights to scholarship fund

From press release

If your holiday lights are “lights out” this year, then remember to recycle your broken or unwanted strings of lights, rather than throw them away.

The Anna Schenker Memorial Scholarship fund will recycle your unusable strings of lights or broken extension cords and put them to good use. The small amount of copper in each string will be recycled and the proceeds donated to a high school senior to help with college costs.

Last year, 2,300 pounds of lights and extension cords were collected, and the total proceeds were more than $1,000. That is more than 1 ton of material kept out of landfills. This year, the goal is 3,000 pounds of lights.

The following businesses will accept strings of lights, power cords or old copper items: All M & I Bank locations in Janesville, Wis., and Beloit, Wis.; Michael’s Cycles, Janesville, Wis.; Beloit Health System, Beloit, Wis.; TADS Sports Bar and Grill, South Beloit, Ill.; Northern Illinois Hospice, Rockford; Piggly Wiggly, Brodhead, Wis.; and many other locations.

Working or non-working lights will be collected through Jan. 15, 2011. For a list of all the locations, call the Dave and Carole Schenker Family at (608) 756-3568. They will also pick up strings of lights or aluminum cans if you call them.

From the Nov. 24-30, 2010 issue