The New River Creative Use Center collects bottles, boxes, bags and paper– much of it unrecyclable by large-scale recycling programs.
Collecting mesh onion bags, button, corks, shells, stamps and CD cases for schools and non-profits to use in art and science projects removes those unrecyclable things like plastics #3-7 from the waste stream. Closing for the summer, the Center, it asks the community to bring its everyday and interesting oddities, 26 listed below, by Monday, June 4, or hold them until the center reopens in August.
The Center is located in the Fieldstone United Methodist Church site (3385 North Franklin Street, Christiansburg). Office hours are Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. If the door is locked, there is a doorbell to the right, it is noted.
“Thank you to everyone who has made donations to the New River Creative Reuse Center,” Ann Raridon, center coordinator wrote in an announcement. “We collect unwanted items that might otherwise go to waste and give them away to local teachers and nonprofits for art and other classroom projects.”
The Center does not need more toilet paper and paper towel tubes and empty tissue boxes and asks that people recycle them. Big cardboard tubes from wrapping paper and mailing tubes are welcome.
“We are also fully stocked with egg cartons. They may be taken to egg vendors at your local farmers market,” Raridon wrote.
Because space is limited, bring items on the list below or check with the Center.
“In particular, we do not have space for bottles, jars or other containers that don’t meet these specifications,” she said.
New River Creative Reuse Center welcomes:
1. All types of “scrap” paper, as long as it is blank on at least one side (office paper, colored paper, old letterhead, etc.)
2. Science and wildlife magazines (we do not need other magazine types)
3. Cardboard tubes (only wrapping paper and mailing tubes, no toilet paper or paper towel)
4. Film canisters
5. Spools
6. Shelf/laminate (Contact) paper
7. CDs and CD cases
8. Empty oatmeal canisters with lids
9. Coffee containers with lids
10. Maps
11. Clear plastic containers with lids, such as peanut butter jars (clean and dry)
12. Mesh produce bags (from onions, etc)
13. Wallpaper, fabric, tile and paint chip samples
14. Calendars with photographs or art
15. Used greeting cards
16. Bottle caps and lids (clean and dry)
17. Juice can lids (no sharp edges)
18. Buttons
19. Corks
20. Pie pans
21. Old computer keyboards
22. Leftover craft materials (pom poms, yarn, pipe cleaners, beads, buttons, fabric, felt, ribbon, glass gems)
23. School, office and art supplies
24. Shells and polished rocks
25. Small animal figurines
26. Cancelled or foreign postage stamps
“If you have items other than those listed that you think would be good for reuse, please contact us to find out if we can use your stuff! We are always open to new ideas,” Raridon wrote.
New River Creative Reuse Center can be contacted through its Facebook page.
