motti

And from The March of Dimes - http://www.dimes.on.ca/locations/loc...asp?sect=south

Save Your Pop-Top Pull Tabs for Wheelchairs
Did you know? It takes 1,000 aluminum pop tabs to equal one pound. We receive 60¢ per pound. Last year, we collected about 2,200,000 pop tabs which earned $1,320 to help purchase mobility aids for people in financial need. Save your pop-top pull tabs and drop them off at any Ontario March of Dimes (OMOD®) location or send them to:

South Region
Ontario March of Dimes
3300 Merrittville Highway
Thorold, ON
L2V 4Y6
Tel: 905-687-8484
Toll-free: 1-800-263-4742
Fax: 905-685-6651
TTY: 905-687-9522
E-mail: southregion@dimes.on.ca

motti

And from http://www.capebretongirlguides.com/SERVICE.htm , some more on the subject.

__________________________________________________ _______________________

COLLECT POP CAN TABS FOR WHEELCHAIRS

Many local Royal Canadian Legion branches across Canada collect pop can tabs through schools and other organizations to help those in need acquire wheelchairs.

The idea of using pop tabs to buy wheel chairs first occurred in 1989, when Ray Pearce of the Elora branch of the Royal Canadian Legion heard a rumour that if 10,000 pop tabs were collected, it could be converted into money for wheelchairs.
He organized a collection and before long had the 10,000 tabs, but the story of them being used to purchase wheelchairs turned out to be an urban legend.
Instead, he formed an agreement with Alcan Recycling of Guelph, Ontario and turned the rumour to reality.

A short ton is equal to 2,000 lbs., or about 908 kilograms. In other words, the going price is almost one dollar per kilogram. Check with your local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion to become involved.

motti

The thing about pop can tabs is that, unlike a whole can still dripping with the last drops of sugary fluid inside, they are already compact, quite clean, and easy to transport. You can twist one off the can and stuff it in your pocket without having to worry about crushing the can or having remnant fluids of the pop can empty into your pocket.

It's a simple way to keep the idea of charity in your mind, and for you to do something to help others. It may not be much, and some will poo-poo the value of the effort, but nothing says you have to stop at pop can tabs if you have the means to do more.

imported_Bruce Fee

These figures are surprisingly horrible.

$1,320?????

2 million pop tabs produced just over $1000? If all the people involved with this portion of the charity paid $5/hour to the charity for the time they put in, instead of running around like headless chickens telling everyone they wanted pop tabs, then driving them dropping them off, counting them.. blah blah blah.... I'm pretty sure you'd have over $1000.

Talk about a bad return for your investment.

They could have put out a fund raiser dinner... one months work... much more money.... instead of collecting 2 million pop can tabs in a year and got much more money.

This is the kind of thing I really don't understand. Such a waste of effort.

motti

Ah, but it's a tiny effort per individual with virtually zero infrastructure and organizational effort and cost on the receiving end.

And any individual can go on and do more if they wish.

imported_Bruce Fee

really?

The effort put into the website alone is worth more than $1000. put the time and effort to set one up for a corporation and put 100% of the profits into buying wheelchairs...

take a look at the highest paid execs in canada.. and where they work.. you might have a different view of 'charity' organizations.