Submitted by Keep Pickens Beautiful

Keep Pickens Beautiful is proud to present the Big Canoe Community with a recycling award to recognize of their efforts in many areas of recycling.Bill Bates, manager of safety and maintenance, has managed the organization of a waste management system that includes single stream recycling, high value cardboard recycling, efficient trash hauling, and open dumpster events that include document shredding and getting reusable items into thrift stores. It should be noted that the thrift store redistributes many of the items they collect; and they sell items to produce grants to several non-profit organizations in Pickens County. Big Canoe Property owners have saved thousands of dollars in hauling fees since the start of these programs.

The Big Canoe Chapel has been successful at recycling office refuse, and it is working to improve its recycling processes at community coffees, dinners, and outdoor terraces entertainment events. Mr. Bates stated he had recently ordered new bear-proof recycling containers to enable expansion of recycling at the golf course and pool facilities.