By JOEL McNEECE
Sister Judy Sinnwell told the Bruce Chamber of Commerce Monday that more than 34 tons of garbage have been recycled since the countywide recycling program was implemented in 2009.

Sinnwell, chairperson of the Green Committee that leads the recycling effort, said the recycling program continues to grow and the committee is looking to expand further.
“We are working with CEDA?(Calhoun Economic Development Association) and Three Rivers (Planning and Development District) to acquire grants to purchase bins for cardboard to be located in Bruce and Vardaman,” Sinnwell said.
Cardboard bins are currently located in Pittsboro and Calhoun City and Sinnwell said they are the most frequently used.
“Fifty percent of the recycled materials we’re collecting are cardboard,” Sinnwell said. “We have a lot of businesses that are working with us.”
Sinnwell said she continues to visit with groups around the county to try and continue the education process on the program.
Recycling bins in Bruce are located behind the police department. Calhoun City’s bins are across the street from City Hall. Pittsboro’s bins are across the street from the Lift, Inc. office and Vardaman’s bins are behind Vardaman Elementary School.
All of the bins are labeled with the items that each can hold – newspapers, mixed paper, steel cans and plastic, and aluminum cans.
Sinnwell offered some instruction to recyclers that all papers should be kept loose, not bundled. Styrofoam can’t be recycled in the county and all plastics must be #1 or #2. The number can be found on the bottom of the plastic container in a triangle.
Sinnwell said the success of the recycle program has been a collaborative effort.
“We got this because the county worked together,” she said. “We couldn’t have done this if just one town had tried to do it by itself.”
Sinnwell encouraged more to get involved and make a difference with recycling.
“Think of what you can do that will help one more place get involved with recycling,” she said.
In other news, Chamber Vice President Becky Wright said voting has begun for the 2011 Citizen of the Year to be awarded at the organization’s annual banquet on Feb. 23.
The Citizen of the Year award is voted on by the community at large. Votes must be turned in to the chamber office in writing. The chamber office is located directly behind Bruce Telephone Company on Johnson Street. They can be mailed to Bruce Chamber, PO Box 1013, Bruce, MS 38915.
Chamber members may also turn in votes for chamber member of the year and business of the year. Those votes are exclusive to chamber members.
The banquet will be held at the Bruce Museum on Thursday, Feb. 23.
Walt Grayson, popular weatherman with WLBT in Jackson and host of “Mississippi Roads” television program will be the guest speaker.
He has authored several books including his latest, “Oh! That Reminds Me. More Homegrown Mississippi stories with Walt Grayson.”
Tickets for the banquet can be purchased from the Bruce Chamber office, Jeffery’s, Connie’s Flowers, and Spratlin Building Supply for $20. For more information call the chamber office at 983-2222.
In a related note, it was reported that 14 tables had been purchased for the museum with private donations given for that purpose. The goal is to raise money to purchase at least that many more.
The final brick order has also been placed. More than 300 memorial bricks have been purchased for the museum. The remaining bricks from the initial order and this latest order will be installed on the building this spring.