Parkrose Boosters remind that ‘Your cans count!’

See why these volunteers are asking you to bring your bottles and cans by on January 3 …

Student members of the Parkrose chapter of Future Business Leaders of America volunteer to raise funds at a Parkrose Broncos Can Drive.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

It matters not if it is cold, raining, or even snowing; the “Parkrose Bronco Boosters Can Crew” will be out on the morning of Saturday, January 3 – hoping folks bring in their deposit-return bottles and cans to their monthly drive.

Different groups help out at the first-Saturday-of-the-month collection events, said organizer Patty Meighen.

“Parkrose Bronco Boosters Can Crew” organizer Patty Meighen gets ready to offload more bags of deposit-return cans at their December drive.

“Every month, we always split money gathered from the return deposit funds we receive,” Meighen told East Portland News. “70% of the proceeds goes to the student group that helps out, and the other 30% goes to the Parkrose Parent Teacher Organization’s scholarship fund for graduating seniors.

“So, last year, we gave five $750 scholarships from that money,” added Meighen.

Mike Verhulst, instructor and Activities Director of Parkrose High School says the deposit-return containers brought in help pay for student activities.

During the December event, for example, the students helping out were members of the Parkrose chapter of Future Business Leaders of America organization, along with their teacher, Mike Verhulst.

“Last year, we had two students that went to their National Congress,” Verhulst remarked. “More students were qualified to go, but they couldn’t raise the funds to send all of them to the nationals. So, that’s why they’re here volunteering with the can drive this month.”

Even a few deposit-return bottles and cans help do good things at Parkrose High, organizers say.

Consider heading off to Parkrose Middle School the morning of January 3, from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Meighen said, and requested, “We’re asking everyone to save up their return-deposit bottles and cans after the big parties on Christmas and New Year’s Eve, and drop them off at Parkrose Middle School.”

It’s located at 11800 NE Shaver Street, 97220, just west of NE 122^nd Avenue.

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