Published: November 18, 2009 09:24 am      

Big GREEN Give touts less gifting, more giving

DANVILLE — The Hendricks County Solid Waste Management District’s objective is educating the public on the sustainable use of resources through recycling and waste reduction.

One of SWMD’s biggest efforts in this realm is the Big GREEN Give from 1-5 p.m. Saturday at the Hendricks County 4-H Fairgrounds and Conference Complex, 1900 E. Main St., Danville.

The event features numerous area non-profits and philanthropic organizations. The premise of the Big GREEN Give is for attendees to buy gifts in the form of donations from these groups, in lieu of the season’s traditional gift-giving. Its slogan is “give more, gift less.”

“As Americans, we make more trash during the holidays than at any other time of the year,” said Amy Sieferman, SWMD outreach coordinator. “The Big GREEN Give is a festive way to reduce holiday waste while supporting local charitable organizations. Think less packaging, boxes, and bows and more people, animals, and nature cared for and supported.”

Some of the participating organizations include Hendricks County Meals on Wheels, Wheeler Mission, and Project Homeless. A $25 donation to Meals on Wheels, for example, buys a hot meal for one person for one week.

Those who make monetary donations are given a recycled content card to in turn give to the gift recipient.

In addition to the gift-giving component, the Big GREEN Give also will feature earth-friendly gift wrapping and decoration workshops, music by area school choirs, snacks, and information about getting more out of the holidays by simplifying.

For more information on the Big GREEN Give, visit the website at www.hendrickssolidwaste.com or call 745-9130.



Participating organizations

Hendricks County Meals on Wheels

Hendricks County Friends of the Shelter

Parks Foundation of Hendricks County

Hendricks County Healthy Families

Mental Health of America of Hendricks County

Heritage Foster Adoption Support

Wheeler Mission

Kingsway Community Care Center

Providence Wildlife Rehabilitation

Hope House of Indiana

Habitat for Humanity Hendricks County

Avon-Washington Township Parks and Recreation

Project Homeless

The Food Pantry

The Lion’s Den

Sheltering Wings

Unitarian Universalist Church