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CAN IT

        CAN IT (Clean A Neighborhood In Town) is Wood-to-Wonderful's litter abatement project for local school children who stencil designs on recycled 55-gallon barrels which are then placed at schools and other places in the community.  Receptacles are maintained by children, school staff, and property owners.  Litter is decidedly reduced in areas with CAN IT receptacles!

As of November 1, 2010, 300 CAN IT receptacles have been placed on Reading sidewalks. The best aspect of CAN IT is that litter has been decidedly reduced wherever receptacles are located! Wood-to-Wonderful plans to have 125 additional receptacles placed by the end of the school year.

Artists at the GoggleWorks, Yokum Institute for the Arts, and other local artists also designed and painted 54 CAN IT receptacles for Wood-to-Wonderful. A display of student and artist CAN IT barrels was presented on April 24, 2010, at Reading local arts center, the GoggleWorks.

In addition to Reading School District children, students from the Cardy Day Academy of the Children’s Home of Reading (CHOR) also participate in CAN IT.

     In June 2010, Wood-to-Wonderful’s CAN IT program received an Honorable Mention City Livability Award for cities with under 100,000 residents. The Cities Livability Awards are sponsored by Waste Management, Inc., and The U.S. Conference of Mayors. Fifteen (15) cities across the United States in this category were selected as finalists for this award.

    Wood-to-Wonderful is honored to have received this award for its CAN IT program.

Reading Eagle Article-Feb 21, 2010 and our Mayor's Commendation-Feb 8th 2010

Click on the article and the commendation to view a larger image.

Wood-to-Wonderful’s CAN IT (Clean A Neighborhood In Town)

• Goal of CAN IT: To teach Reading children and, in turn, their friends and families that littering is wrong by involving children in the transformation of recycled 55-gallon barrels into colorful, attractive litter receptacles which are then placed in the community.

• How CAN IT works: Wood-to-Wonderful takes recycled, brightly-colored barrels to local schools where children from Student Council, Art Club, Safety Patrol, etc., stencil colorful designs on barrels. Wood-to-Wonderful oversees all aspects of CAN IT.

• Placement of CAN IT receptacles: Reading schools, churches, public buildings (libraries, fire houses, recreation centers, etc.), day care centers, private residences.

• Number of CAN IT receptacles placed from January 2009 – November 2010: 300

• Unique aspect of CAN IT: With the exception of City buildings, CAN IT litter receptacles are maintained by children and adults where receptacles are placed. People who accept CAN IT receptacles essentially adopt the cans: they change provided bags as needed, make sure receptacles are not damaged, etc.

• Number of children participating through November  2010: 400

• Success of CAN IT: Receptacles are an asset to Reading because locations with CAN IT receptacles are decidedly cleaner.

• State government support: Pennsylvania Representative Tom Caltagirone secured a $20,000 DCED grant in May 2008 to implement CAN IT.

• Partnership with the City of Reading: Wood-to-Wonderful is grateful to Mayor Thomas McMahon; Frank Denbowski, Assistant to the Mayor; and the Solid Waste Department for their support.

• Source of stencils: StenSource International, Inc. / www.stensource.com

• More information: Doug Brown, Director, Wood-to-Wonderful / 610-378-8697 or woodtowonderful@comcast.net