On December 3, 2014, members of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County Troop #2029, Troop #2011 and Troop #2346 came to Gershow Recycling’s facility in Valley Stream to drop off 31 pounds of aluminum can tabs they collected over the past year as part of the “Can Tabs for Kids” program to benefit The Sunrise Fund. In addition, the Girl Scouts raised an additional $200 for The Sunrise Fund from a bake sale they recently hosted.
“Can Tabs for Kids” benefits the Sunrise Fund at Stony Brook University Medical Center, an organization that raises awareness and funds for specific projects to assist families with children fighting childhood cancer.
As part of the Can Tabs for Kids program, children bring in aluminum tabs from soft drink and pet food cans that their parents purchased and place them in collection bins. The bags are then taken out of the bins and brought to Gershow, where the contents are weighed and recycled. In addition to the amount paid for the weight of the can tabs, Gershow matches the amount raised.
Can Tabs for Kids began at William Floyd Elementary School in 2011. Maria Marks, a former William Floyd student who was diagnosed with cancer at a young age, was the inspiration for the program. Between the ages of two weeks and six months, she underwent numerous chemotherapy sessions. The constant exposure to the radiation resulted in Maria losing her hearing in both ears and now she must wear hearing aids. Her cancer has since been in remission.
The Girl Scout troops from Valley Stream learned about the program when they were searching for a local charity that they wanted to help. They came across Can Tabs for Kids and decided to take part in the program. The troop members have also learned about recycling and organized many recycling events, which is another reason why they chose Can Tabs for Kids.
