(CBS-DETROIT) — The VFW honors an Imlay City veteran for his service to the community.
Harry Earehart collected 500 pounds of plastic in just six months to make a bench for Veteran’s Park, and he’s working to collect even more plastic for a second one.
Earehart and his wife Rosemary were busy packing plastic into bags for recycling on Saturday afternoon.
“I can get up to £20 a bag,” said Harry Earehart. “And you can have four bags a week. We take it, we package it here and then we take it to Kroger’s.”
The plastic is then shipped to a company that makes outdoor products, such as sofas.
“They’re good, heavy plastic and I didn’t think the city would turn it down by not taking them. They said yes, they would definitely take them,” Harry Earehart said.
He first saw the couch in a Maple Vista residential care center. That set the spark to get more for Veteran’s Park.
“I just think it’s great that he’s taking the time to do this because he’s been a veteran. He knows there’s a need for veterans and to help other people get inspired to do this,” Rosemary Earehart said.
Plastic donation boxes can be found at the VFW Post 2492, City Hall, grocery stores and area churches.
“I hope more people join in. It doesn’t cost them anything, but it’s a kind thing to do and it keeps it out of the landfill,” said Harry Earehart.
In the year since Harry started this project, the city has added benches to Veteran’s Park, but Harry Earehart has plans for benches throughout the city.
“I was thinking about going here to the city library, where we have a monument to the war dead, and maybe putting some benches at the library and around the monument,” he said.
For some people, a couch is just a place to sit. For Harry Earehart, it’s a way to not only help the environment, but also to serve the country he loves.
