Fifth grader joins Aluminum Tab Collection Project for Shriners


Nathan Mortimer and Lee Freniere, public relations specialist for Shriners Hospital in Springfield. Reminder Publications submitted photo

HAMPDEN Nathan Mortimer, a fifth grader in Susan Sawyer's class at Thornton W. Burgess Middle School (TWB), initiated an aluminum tab collection and recycling project this school year to benefit Shriners Hospital. He had heard about the project from students at another school and felt he should start a collection at TWB. Students in the fifth grade were asked to help by saving their tabs and bringing them to school for Nathan to collect throughout the school year.

Since the school year is ending, Nathan brought the collection of aluminum can tabs to Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield to their collection dock. He met with Lee Freniere, public relations specialist, to learn how his contribution will be used by the hospital and to dump his collection into an enormous bin. He learned that it takes approximately 1,640 tabs to equal one pound. His contribution of almost 5 pounds equates to over 8,000 tabs. The entire fifth grade helped to make this contribution possible. The money raised from recycling aluminum tabs funds the purchase of many medical and non-medical items for several Shriners Hospitals for Children.