Recycling your old Christmas tree lights this winter just might help to keep you and your dog cool this summer.
BLH Computers in Jacksonville is expanding their Christmas tree light recycling program, with the proceeds to be donated to help the Jacksonville Park Foundation.
Now through January 14 old Christmas lights can be dropped off in a collection box at the entrance to County Market, as well as the BLH store located on South Main Street.
Jacksonville Ward 5 Alderman Steve Warmowski says that it is a good way to give back, while ensuring those old light strands are re-purposed and not ending up in the landfill.
“BLH is a great electronics recycling company and I don’t know exactly how they do it, but they take the lights and recycle the materials within them. It is a really nice way to give your Christmas tree lights a new life as part of a new phone or something like that.”
Any funds raised from the recycling project will go to support Park Foundation projects including the Bark Park Initiative, Friends of the Trails, Protect the Melon! and the Jacksonville Children’s Community Gardening Initiative.
Wamowski says that every little bit helps, as the foundation continues planning and work on projects for 2020. He says that work is continuing on the City Bark Park, and that the city is hoping to receive a grant from the state of Illinois to help move forward with the third phase of the trail at Lake Jacksonville.
“That last section will be the prettiest in my opinion. It goes over the old West Lake Road bridge. People who grew up in Jacksonville will remember being able to drive around the lake, and this will an opportunity for families to walk or ride a bike or run around the lake and enjoy the pretty woods out there.
The other thing to mention for the upcoming year is the Bark Park Committee of the Park Foundation is working with the city to put up a shelter between the small dog and the all dog area of the park. Our water line is in and they are working on putting in some drinking fountains.
So we are really looking forward to the spring when people will be able to bring their dog out there, and the dogs can get a drink, and people can get a drink, and people will be able to sit in the shelter and chat with other people out in the park.”
Warmowski says the foundation hopes many area residents take advantage of the Christmas light recycling program, and that the foundation is very thankful for everyone who is helping the Park Foundation and BLH Computers to make it possible
“The Elm City Center provided the drop box so it is great to have them partner with us, and County Market is just really fantastic to host it and move around the box and do all the work for us.”
Any other electronics in need of recycling this holiday season may be dropped off at BLH Computers at 832 S. Main Street. Hours are 8-6 Monday-Friday and 10-6 Saturday.
More details on the Jacksonville Park Foundation programs can be found at jaxpark.org