Recycling Event at Green Street Fair Will Benefit Children

This year's Green Street Fair will have a new participant when the E-Clutter for Kids booth sets up shop at the event on Saturday and Sunday.

Each of the items donated at the recycle-a-thon is worth a specified amount of money, which will be given to the pediatric speech and language treatment programs at Beaumont Children’s Hospital in Royal Oak.

The Children’s Miracle Network, which is part of Beaumont’s foundation, has partnered for the first time with Statewide Recycling and Recovery to raise the dollars.

Brian Bierly, a spokesman for Beaumont, said the fundraiser was connected to the Green Street Fair through one of its sponsors, WDVD-FM 96.3, which is hosting a radiothon for the hospital on May 12.

“It’s a great way to help some kids while teaching others about the importance of recycling,” he said.

E-Clutter for Kids volunteers will collect items that are recyclable—audio and visual equipment, computer components, printers, monitors, coaxial cables, televisions, refrigerators, washers and dryers, car phones and cell phones, rechargeable batteries and more.

The event is a chance for fair-goers to get rid of some items they are no longer using, said Katherine Groves, associate director of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals program at Beaumont.

“Everyone I know has some sort of e-clutter around the house they’d like to get rid of,” she said. “So, here’s a great way to do some spring cleaning and help kids at the same time.”

Michael Rolnick, Ph.D., director of speech and language programs at Beaumont, said the effort will help children facing some big challenges.

“The amazing Beaumont team has come together to work with community groups for this new, innovative fundraising program to help kids in need of assistance,” he said. “We hope people will consider cleaning out their garages, basements and closets and going to the nearest drop-off location so we can build our department’s treatment scholarship funds and assist more families in need.”

Dianne Quinn, the director of the Green Street Fair, said the E-Clutter event was a great fit for the fair.

“We’re very pleased to have this event at the fair—and Beaumont is wonderful to work with,” she said.

It’s not first time the Green Street Fair has worked with the hospital, Quinn said. Last year, children at the fair were able to paint pieces of a mural, which were then taken to and installed in the children’s rehabilitation center at Beaumont.

The Green Street Fair takes place Friday through Sunday in downtown Plymouth. For a complete list of items accepted at the recycling station, visit http://foundation.beaumonthospitals.com/e-clutter-for-kids.