Cherokee Chamber Of Commerce Awarded $2,500 Grant

From Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce:

The Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce has been awarded a $2,500 grant from Waste Management. The grant was presented by Marla Prince, Waste Management Senior Community Affairs Specialist, to Chamber Chairman Steve Garrison, owner of Canton Tire & Wheel, along with members of the organization's Going Green Committee during their August Good Morning Cherokee Breakfast.

"The Waste Management Think Green® Community Improvement Grants are part of an ongoing national effort to encourage the development of local environmental solutions that build sustainable communities," shared Pam Carnes, Chamber President & CEO. "The Chamber was thrilled to be chosen as a grant recipient, and we look forward to continuing to promote green living through this partnership with Waste Management."

Now in the ninth year of the grant program which is coordinated in partnership between Waste Management and Keep America Beautiful, $1.3 million in grant monies have been awarded to affiliates and partners in support of more than 205 community service projects and programs.

The Cherokee County Chamber received one of 39 grants awarded across the nation and plans to utilize the funds for an Elementary School Recycling Initiative to be held later this fall. In the coming weeks, elementary schools in the Cherokee County School District will be invited by the Chamber's Going Green Committee to participate in this initiative. During an agreed upon time frame, students in the participating elementary schools will be asked to collect plastic bags within their individual homerooms. Awards will be given to the classroom from each school with the highest weight of plastic bags. The school with the highest overall weight will be honored as well. In the past, newspapers were collected from the elementary schools, but with plastic bags being a lighter option and on-hand in most homes, the Going Green Committee opted to change the item collected.

The mission of the Cherokee County Chamber’s Going Green initiative is to encourage the community to implement green practices that conserve community resources while helping businesses thrive. For more information on this initiative, or to download a recycling guide, please visit here or call 770-345-0400.

Image via the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce: Pictured front row, left to right: Nancy Weaseling, One Source Employee Assistance Program; Mayor Doris Jones, City of Wales; John Barker, Delphi Global Technology; Marla Prince, Waste Management. Second row, left to right: Vic Knight, Waste Management; Steve Garrison, Canton Tire & Wheel; Susan Wright, Autumn Hill Nursery & Chukkar Farm Polo Club & Event Facility; John West, Express Impressions.