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(Posted 5:30
p.m., April 19)
Unique partnership turns computer junk into treasure
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
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|  Workers
load a 1-800-GOT-JUNK? truck with computer waste that's either too old, or longer
in working condition during an e-recyling event on Saturday. Fred Sherwin/Photo
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1-800-GOT-JUNK?
and the Divine Infant Knights of Columbus teamed up for a unique project on the
weekend, collecting cast off computer components to be converted into computer
systems for financially disadvantaged families. This
is the first year that the junk collector has teamed up with the Divine Infant
Knights of Columbus. The community service club refurbishes the computer components
and donates them to the Orléans-Cumberland Community Resource Centre which
finds them a new home. Cars
loaded down with old computer towers and monitors started lining up at the temporary
depot in the Silver City parking lot early Saturday morning. By
the end of the first hour and a half, the Knghts of Columbus had dozens of usable
components and 1-800-GOT-JUNK? had collected nearly four tonnes of unusable parts
and pieces, including a truckload of old TVs, that were bound for one of two e-waste
recyclers in the region. The
locally-owned 1-800 franchise has been diverting recyclable material from landfill
sites since July 2000. Five years ago, they began to see a dramatic increase in
electronic waste as more and more individuals and businesses started to upgrade
their computer systems. They
held their first one day e-waste collection event two years ago with moderate
success. This year they publicized the event on a much broader scale and the result
was overwhelming. “It’s
been excellent,” said 1-800-GOT-JUNK? co-owner Pierrette Raymond. “Obviously,
there’s a real need for this type of event, a big part of which is about
educating people about getting rid of their electronics.” Probably
the happiest person at Saturday’s event was Chris Sharp from the Knights
of Columbus which had a work table set up on site to triage the computers after
they were dropped off and determine what could be salvaged. Sharp
was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the components they were receiving. “We’ve
got a lot of good stuff. People are dropping off P3s and even P4s,” said
Sharp. “It’s very high end stuff.” The
computer components will go a long way in helping the club keep up with the current
demand. During the past six weeks they’ve managed to provide 12 refurbished
computer system to 12 financially strapped families in the area and there’s
another 10 families on the waiting list. Sharp
has had the distinct pleasure of being able to present some of the computers to
their new owners. “The
look of joy in their faces is unbelievable. Tha’s what makes it all worthwhile,”
says Sharp. The
Divine Infant Knights of Columbus will be holding their next recycling day in
the Divine Infant Church Hall between noon and 3 p.m. on May 15 and 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
will once again be on hand to take away whatever they can’t use. The
junk removal company will be holding their next event in support of the Yard Sale
for the Cure in the Silver City parking lot on May 29. 
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local
business partners.) Return
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