Gloria and Kenny Kisor have helped with can collection in Clarion for over a decade. The can cage is located between Dollar General and Arnold Motor Supply on Central Avenue. The Kisors are happy to do it as the funds earned from redemption go to a good cause, but they are also hoping to remind people of how the collection operates as things occasionally get a little messy.
Gloria explained that the collection cage was long a shared effort between different organizations in town, including the post-prom committee. The Kisors help with collection on behalf of St. John Catholic Parish in Clarion and now exclusively do it for the church as other groups haven’t showed an interest recently.
The Kisors said the funds earned go to raise money for activities like the Haiti Mission that the church supports. It also helps send Wright County Catholic youth to the National Catholic Youth Conference that takes place every year in Indianapolis in the fall.
Kenny noted that operating the collection site is a big job. The cage can fill up in a matter of days. Whatever is in the cage must be sorted and then taken for redemption to Belmond. Gloria notes that the church youth who are attending the conference help with sorting, so that helps out with the effort a great deal.
Still, the Kisors want to remind people to use the collection site in the fashion it was intended. Currently, they take carbonated beverage cans and plastic bottles. Kenny adds that they are not taking glass anymore as that has become difficult to redeem. They prefer if people can sort out cans from bottles and put them in a tied bag.
Sorting through the cage occasionally becomes a messy task. The Kisors note that too often people dump garbage in the cage that they end up having to dispose of themselves. Kenny could rattle off a mile long list of odd and icky things that have been thrown in the cage, including a bunch of lobster shells. They also remind people that they don’t take regular recycling items like detergent bottles or plastic food containers.
In the end, the Kisors say they are very thankful that people donate to the collection cage. “We really appreciate it since it does go to a good cause,” said Kenny. Gloria added that this year they are sending 20 youth and 8 chaperones to the youth conference which costs close to $20,000, so all the donations are welcome. They hope that going forward, people continue to donate their cans and bottles and help keep the cage clean.
