E-Waste Campaign Benefit for Local Club

Social Media works in awesome, wondrous ways in today’s society. Through Facebook, the über-popular social network, the Leduc Boys and Girls Club (B & G) recently announced that it was participating in the Samsung E-waste Campaign that aimed at collecting unwanted electronics and turning them over to a processor such as GEEP, based in North Edmonton, handing over the proceeds to local non-profit groups. 

With the support of the Leduc Brick Store collecting and storing the electronics that would have made their way in the regional landfill, the Leduc B & G Club and its dynamic director John Norton aimed at collecting 1 tonne of electronic waste. Ten days later, when relatives and friends rallied with enthusiasm to make this a success, the goal had been surpassed: 2.8 MT (metric tons) of discarded electronics had been collected! So it was with the pride of a “job well done” that John Norton and several leaders of the Leduc Boys & Girls Club came to The Brick store in Leduc to meet with Samsung officials, where they happily received a $5,000 cheque. 

Dhara Burke, The Brick’s Leduc store manager, is pleased with the outcome of this clever campaign that benefits the children of the community that she and her team serve. She adds that “the phone is still ringing with residents asking if they can drop off some unwanted electronics to benefit the Boys & Girls Club, and she has to direct them to the City of Leduc’s Eco-Station”, which is still known to some by its former name, the Recycling Depot. 

John Norton confirms that The Brick’s staff was most helpful during the campaign, graciously accepting the electronic items and placing them in a large C-can placed behind the store. He adds that the $5,000 is slotted to   purchase some much-needed electronics such as monitors and laptops generously sold at a wholesale cost by Samsung, that will help with their youths’ needs to do after-school homework, and not to be used for games, he chuckles. In fact, John believes that sports, reading and board games are precious to a youth’s development, and that is what he encourages within the Club. 

Andrew Barrett, Samsung Canada’s VP of Marketing, offered this comment: “Right from the beginning citizens   took to this challenge with passion and purpose-- and we are thrilled to be here to present each of the community organizations with their Samsung Hope for Children technology grants,” He added: “Promoting the importance of sustainability while providing Canada’s youth with technology that improves their educational atmospheres is something we’re extremely passionate about at Samsung.”

This Samsung E-Waste campaign, with The Brick as a generous partner, was a spirited campaign by an industry giant, and has benefited local youth, the Leduc Boys & Girls Club: we’re happy for them!