Jana Hanks of Auburn can be referred to as “the can tab lady” when it comes to her continued support of the Shriners Hospital for Children. For years now, Jana has been very involved with the can tab collections in Auburn and Logan County and even in the surrounding counties. She began the collection when she served on the Auburn Tourism Commission and has kept it up now for 7 years. “After delivering the first dually truck load to the Shriners Burn Hospital in Cincinnati and seeing what collecting can tabs can do, Jana has never stopped. “It only takes a small effort to save the tabs and turn what would have been thrown away into needs of others”, says Jana.
The tab fund at Shriners Hospital in Cincinnati generates money to help provide some “extras” for the hospital such as patient clothing, special wheelchairs, DVD players, magazine subscriptions, bingo prizes, Spanish board games and Christmas trees and decorations. The patients and their families derive much pleasure from all of the extras that are purchased for them from the tab fund.
The offices of Hanks Construction Company and East Logan Water District located at 399 East Main Street in Auburn serves as headquarters, or drop off location for the can tabs. The collection is an on-going endeavor and can tabs can be dropped off any day during regular business hours. The tabs are brought in coffee cans, milk jugs, 5 gallon buckets, pickle jars, Ziploc bags, shopping bags, whatever the collector collects them in. The can tabs are then all put into a 55 gallon drum until December rolls around and they are taken for recycling. “Believe me, we are exploding each year with can tabs when December rolls around”, says Jana, it is amazing how many are collected.
Each December, following the Auburn Christmas Parade, Jana makes the donation to the Shriners. This year, over 300 pounds of aluminum can tabs were taken to Bluegrass Recycling in Russellville where owners, Pat and Cindy Suiter were grateful enough to match the donation, making it possible for a larger donation to Shriners Hospitals for Children.
“When I contacted Bluegrass Recycling about my endeavor, Pat and Cindy Suiter never hesitated and were ready to jump on board and offer their support as well”, says Jana. It’s always nice to do business within Logan County and Bluegrass Recycling was willing to open their hearts and support Shriners. “Believe me, I checked everywhere within a 50 mile radius for the best price of recycling and Bluegrass Recycling won hands down and also offered to match the weight of the can tabs and then agreed to joining in the program for the future. “This excites me”, says Jana.
Can tabs have already begun to flow in for the next donation. Hardly a day goes by that someone doesn’t drop some off and sometimes even catches Jana out in town and gives her what they have collected. This program has for sure taken off and it’s a sure fact that Auburn and Logan County love to support this worthy cause. And hats off to Bluegrass Recycling for helping to make the holidays happier for the patients. “As I have said before, Logan County CAN help make a difference and it shows.
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