Community’s first eCycling event was a partnership involving the network’s green team, Computer Experts Inc., Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Virtual Scavengers and 1-800-GOT-JUNK. A team of volunteers processed donations during the 10-hour event in the Community North parking lot.

The event sought old electronic products—such as used computers, VCRs, DVD players, cell phones and televisions. Disposing of such items through regular trash pickups is not considered safe, due to hazardous materials they may contain. Equally important, in many cases these used electronics still have some good life left in them.

Virtual Scavengers, for example, reconditions old PCs, printers and monitors—or disassembles them for parts—and helps provide low-income families with low-cost technology and training. Donated items that were determined to have no potential for reuse were taken away for safe disposal by partner 1-800-GOT-JUNK. The preliminary weight total of objects that were e-cycled at the September 5 e-Cycling event was 27,292 pounds.

“I want to tell you how wonderful the whole event was for us. You work with an incredible group of people. The volunteers worked long, hard hours with enthusiasm and humor. We were also deeply touched by the enthusiasm of your donors; they were obviously genuinely excited by the knowledge that their ‘babies’ were going to remain in use and benefit other families," says John Crooks, executive director of Virtual Scavengers.

To see a video of the day's events, click here.