A passionate group of farmers, retirees and community members were awarded after receiving the 2 millionth drumMUSTER container through their local waste management region.
Greenethorpe Soldiers Memorial Hall, just outside Cowra picked up the milestone drum from local farmer, Colin Chapple.
The Memorial Hall sits in the collaborative waste management group, NetWaste which surpassed 2 million drums since starting with drumMUSTER in 1999.
NetWaste are responsible for overseeing drumMUSTER collections across 28 NSW councils.
The Hall was awarded $450 for their achievement after Colin generously donated his award money to the group.
Colin has lived in the region his whole life and grows canola, wheat and livestock on his property near Greenethorpe.
He said he’s been participating in drumMUSTER since the Hall started collections in 2008.
“Most farmers I know do it now, but you don’t want to know what I did with the drums before it was up and running,” he said.
Colin said the Hall also gives back to the community by hosting dinners and events.
“I’m the captain for the fire brigade and we run raffles, but most things are supplied for us. With the Hall, everyone gets something out of it.”
Dennis Hughes from Grenfell organises drumMUSTER collections for the Hall.
Dennis and fellow volunteers help collect and inspect drums from local farmers to raise funds for their group. In the past five years, Dennis has helped raise more $18,000 for the Hall.
Dennis said Colin is just one of the dedicated farmers who bring in their drums.
“We’ve got 62 farmers on the email list and most of them do it,” he said. “Colin is good at rinsing them out. Most of the others are pretty good too.”
Southern NSW drumMUSTER Consultant Vernon Keighley said Dennis has helped inspect more than 80,000 drums.
“Dennis is a role model not just for everyone involved with the community in Greenethorpe, but also a model for everyone who runs a drumMUSTER site,” he said.
Since 1999, drumMUSTER has collected more than 23 million drums nation-wide. That represents more than 28,000 tonnes of waste avoiding landfill. Once collected the waste is recycled into new and useful things again, like plastic cable covers, wheelie bins and pipes.
For further information on the drumMUSTER program, call 1800 008 707 or log on to www.drummuster.com.au.
Photos
1. Dennis Hughes and Allan Hodgson from the Greenethorpe Soldiers Memorial Hall
