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Community Corner

Channahon woman wins iPad 3 she'll share with colleagues at Easter Seals

     JOLIET – When Channahon’s Debra Walters read about recycling Christmas lights at the Channahon Township recycling center, she didn’t even pay attention to the prize that could be won for submitting a photo.

     She was just excited that she could get rid of a box of burned out lights she and her family had accumulated. “We had a lot of them.”

     Husband Mark took pictures of her as she did the recycling.

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     “We use the Channahon Township recycling center all the time,” she said. “I just (entered) for fun.”

     Once she found out she won the contest sponsored by Will County’s Resource Recovery and Energy Division of the Will County Land Use Department and the County’s recycler, Vintage Tech of Romeoville, she was delighted to discover she had won a refurbished iPad 3. She received the device on Jan. 28.

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     But the mother of three didn’t even consider keeping it for her personal use. A physical therapist at Easter Seals – Joliet Region since 1997, her first thought was how the iPad could help her colleagues and their young clients.

      Walters is one of 44 therapists working for the non-profit. “We have exactly one iPad for all of us,” she said. Her refurbished one, once loaded with apps they can use for therapy, will double the number available for their use.

    Will County Executive Larry Walsh was happy to hear about Walters’ altruism. “It’s wonderful when we can keep electronics in circulation instead of throwing them away. Then, finding out this refurbished iPad 3 will be doing so much good is an extra bonus.”

     Marta Keane, Recycling Program Specialist with Will County RRE, said, “America Recycles Day reminds us to purchases items made from recycled materials. We appreciate Vintage Tech’s annual donation of a refurbished electronic device to encourage everyone to recycle, buy used and recycled items, and to show off their efforts by sending us some photos!”

      America Recycles Day is celebrated each Nov. 15; in recent years, Will County RRE and Vintage Tech have kicked off a contest in November asking people to submit photos of themselves recyling.

      Walters, who travels throughout Will County working with 2- and 3-year-olds, is anxious to use her device to help her young clients. “I don’t even know all the possibilities.

      “I’m very excited to get it and share with all my co-workers and all the little kids we work with.”

      For more information about the Resource Recovery and Energy division, go to www.willcountygreen.com. The Land Use Department is led by Director Curt Paddock. It is one of the departments under the County Executive’s office. 

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