photo by: Contributed

Bruce Nightingale, left, and Will Lunn scoop, bag and haul aluminum cans for Cans for the Community every month.

Local nonprofit Cans for the Community is making a final push to collect 5,000 pounds of aluminum cans so that they can turn those recycled cans into cash for Lawrence elementary schools.

Cans for the Community gathers aluminum cans for recycling from businesses, apartment complexes, community drop-off bins, and local events like University of Kansas football games. All recycling proceeds are donated to support other non-profit organizations in Douglas County.

The Lawrence school district is an annual beneficiary of at least one can drive per year by the organization. Cans for the Community host a can drive for the school district each April to honor Earth Day, and district spokesperson Julie Boyle said it’s a great opportunity to remind the district’s students about the importance of recycling.

With just one week left in April, the local nonprofit is ramping up its efforts to finish collecting about 900 pounds of cans needed to reach the 5,000-pound goal. The more cans that are collected, the more cash that goes to schools, which a leader of organization said makes everyone happy.

“Everyone in my group supports public schools,” said Linda Klinker with Cans for the Community. “We all love giving money to them, and the more money that we can give to the public schools, the better … It’s nice to have some cash to do whatever you want at the end of the year.”

Additionally, area businessman Bo Killough will match the funds raised during the can drive. Klinker said Killough has been a longtime supporter of the nonprofit and its recycling efforts.

Boyle said that the district looks forward to the April challenge each year, which rotates between supporting elementary and secondary schools. She said the schools use the funds to support student, staff and school-wide needs.

Boyle said in 2022, the district reported that from 2005 to 2021 the total amount donated to Lawrence Public Schools was $36,960.

“Linda is truly a force for good,” Boyle said via email. “Our schools are grateful to be among the many local non-profit organizations to benefit from Cans for the Community’s mission.”

In September, Cans for the Community also donated $1,000 to the district’s Nutrition and Wellness Department through the Lawrence Schools Foundation for the School Nutrition Meal Support Fund. These funds support school families experiencing financial hardship by paying negative student lunch account balances. Killough has also matched that donation.

photo by: Contributed Photo

A Cans for the Community “can house,” where people can donate their aluminum cans.

As of Wednesday, Cans for the Community has recycled 4,140 pounds of aluminum cans, and will continue accepting donations until Wednesday, April 30. People can donate aluminum cans at the following locations:

* Checkers, 2300 Louisiana

* Dillons, 4701 W 6th Street

* Hillcrest Shopping Center, 925 Iowa Street

* HyVee, 3504 Clinton Parkway

* Immanuel Lutheran Church, 2104 Bob Billings Parkway

* Lawrence Memorial Hospital, north of main entrance on Arkansas Street

* Miller Mart, 2301 Wakarusa Drive

* On The Rocks Liquor Store, 1818 Massachusetts Street

* O’Reilly Auto Parts, 601 Kasold Drive

* Trinity Lutheran Church, 1245 New Hampshire

* Former Wakarusa School, 1104 E 1000 Road

Klinker along with other Cans for the Community volunteers will present checks to each of the elementary schools in May, Boyle said. Klinker said the success of the recycling nonprofit has been because of the community members who save their cans and take the time to donate them.

“It’s the support from the community that makes us successful,” Klinker said. “Given how many people just have a little, small bag of cans (and) they took the time to save their cans and throw it in the can house, that takes a lot of effort. I always thank them.”