1st National Bank of Waterloo Organizes Communitywide Recycling Event

The numbers are in on an effort to clear up clutter and collect donations for charity.

A Community-Wide Recycling Event was held at the Effingham Performance Center. Effingham Recycles, Impact 2030, Effingham Performance Center, Ultimate Recycling Corporation, Inc. and Effingham Public Library all partnered with First National Bank of Waterloo to participate in this event.

First National Bank of Waterloo sponsored a shred truck for the event and offered free, unlimited shredding on site. Volunteers also collected plastic bags and plastic bottle caps. Community members were encouraged to bring all forms of recyclable items including electronics, cardboard, batteries and old computer monitors.

The three-hour event resulted in more than 7,960 pounds of paper, four loads of cardboard, three box trucks of electronics, a van full of plastic bags, two tubs of plastic bottle caps, and three buckets of batteries being properly recycled or shredded.

In addition, participants collected more than 230 pounds of food donations, which were given to Catholic Charities Food Pantry.

“The community shred/recycle day was a great day for the entire Effingham community,” said James Arndt, Effingham City Administrator. “The City appreciates the efforts of all involved to provide our residents the opportunity to legally dispose of plastic bags, plastic bottles, sensitive documents, and household electronic goods in an environmentally friendly way.”

First National Bank of Waterloo Marketing Officer, Laura Mergelkamp, said this year’s event was a tremendous success, and they hope to make it an annual event. “We’d like to thank everyone who participated in this year’s Community-Wide Recycling Event and gave donations. First National Bank of Waterloo is dedicated to making a difference in the communities we serve, and this is just one way that we are able to do that,” said Mergelkamp.

First National Bank of Waterloo has over $450 million in total assets and ten banking centers located in Waterloo, Columbia, Millstadt, Dupo, O’Fallon, Effingham and Stewardson, Illinois.