Friday, December 22, 2006
Posted for Sarah Poulton
YOUNGSTOWN — Only one thing could silence about 100 kids who thundered around the room laughing:
Santa.
A hush fell over the Boys and Girls Club of Youngstown’s Christmas party as Santa Claus made his entrance. Santa came to life for everyone as he told stories of gift-giving, the North Pole and recycling.
Recycling and Christmas may not go hand-in-hand, but members of the Boys and Girls Club of Youngstown have spent the past nine months collaborating with the Green Team, the recycling division of Mahoning County government.
Robert Marchese, executive director of the Boys and Girls Club, said while the children were celebrating the holiday together, they were also celebrating the first recycling station on the South Side of Youngstown.
Marchese said while they had some organized activities planned, the day was mostly about letting the kids be kids and have fun together. He said Santa Claus was the big treat planned at the end, and it was also exciting for the children to be a part of the press conference held there to honor the recycling station, he said.
“[The party is] our gift to the kids,” Marchese said. “It’s a tradition here.”
Marchese said the Boys and Girls Club is a United Way agency that focuses on a variety of after-school activities for children. In 2005, the Youngstown club served 1,253 children, he said.
Jim Petuch, director of the Green Team, said the South Side station is is one of four new recycling sites in Mahoning County. He said he's excited about the location because it gives him a chance to convey to the children how important recycling really is.
And he thinks it’s working.
“The bin was delivered Tuesday and it was filled by Thursday morning,” Petuch said. “Two to three tons in 48 hours is a good start.”