Scouts launch recycling intiative in Dexter

Six members of Dexter Cadette Girl Scout Troop 580 are earning the Silver Award for launching a recycling project to help raise funds for Mill Creek Middle School.

The scouts are collecting garbage that will be “upcycled” by a company called Terracycle and made into products such as tote bags, backpacks, lunchboxes, notebooks, etc.

The Silver Award is the highest award that can be earned by middle school students. In order to complete the Silver Award, each person in the troop has to contribute at least 50 project hours. The scouts have expanded their project to other schools in the Dexter school district.

“We are hoping to get a lot of donations at the end of the school year when teachers and students will be cleaning out their desks,” scout Kourtney Koch said.

For each wrapper or piece of trash collected, the troop is credited two cents by Terracycle. Troop 580 has selected Mill Creek Middle School to be the non-profit organization to benefit from its efforts. Some of the items being collected are resealable bags (any brand); food storage containers (any brand), drink pouches, snack bar wrappers, chip bags, cookie package wrappers and yogurt containers, among others. For a full list of items visit the Dexter Community Education Website and click on community fliers. E-mail dextergs580@gmail.com to arrange a pick up.