Ed. Note: Walpolean reader Dodie Ransome passed along this important news! CCB
GEORGE WATKINS RECOGNIZED
FOR OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
EPSOM, NH - The Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA) has
recognized George Watkins of Walpole with the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award. This is a new award this year to recognize a truly outstanding volunteer effort over a sustained period of time.
This year’s nomination was submitted by Paul Colburn, Manager of the Walpole Recycling and Transfer Center, who said that Watkins and two others persuaded the Walpole Selectboard to start a Recycling Program in 1986.
“George was instrumental in recruiting a small group of volunteers, later known as the Walpole Recycling Action Project “WRAP”, to staff a Recycling Center at the landfill,” Colburn said. “Within 2 years, ‘the program’ had grown to include a granulator, glass crusher, storage facilities and around 100 volunteers. In 1990, a full time Coordinator was hired and, in 1992, ‘the Transfer Station was’ moved to its present location. In 1995, a Pay-as-You-Throw program was put in place.”
Watkins has continued to be Chair of the WRAP Committee, which recruits 55+ volunteers per month and has been the guiding light behind the creation of the separate facility and equipping it. In addition, he has overviewed the continual expansion through the WRAP Committee, which is the “Board of Directors” for the Recycling Center, meeting and reviewing progress each month. Without Watkins continued pushing of the Walpole Selectboard, Recycling in Walpole wouldn’t exist today.
Incidentally, Watkins is over 90 years old, granulates plastic and other things every week – still.
This award was presented at NRRA’s 29th Annual Conference and Expo on June 7h and 8th. This year featured a first-ever, School Recycling Conference within the NRRA Conference at the Radisson Hotel Manchester. This Conference & Expo was a fantastic opportunity for those interested in recycling and waste reduction to come together to discover new technologies, exchange ideas, share philosophies, and further promote waste reduction efforts.
The NRRA is a proactive, non-profit cooperative working with its membership to make their recycling programs strong, efficient and financially successful. For more information, visit www.nrra.net.
Congratulations George!
