505th CCW Recycling Day to help kids afford school Published May 9, 2008 By Capt. Laura Ropelis 505th CCW Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The 505th Command and Control Wing announces a "Recycling Day" to raise money for kids and the base May 30. The highly successful concept of a recycling day was initiated by Mr. Richard Williams, 505th CCW civil engineering facilities director, to increase local awareness of the Hurlburt Field recycling program and increase recycling money for the Hurlburt community. "This scholarship program is one of the best ways I have seen to demonstrate what the power of recycling can do in and for our own community," said Col. Mike Smietana, 1st Special Operations Mission Support Group commander. The recycling scholarship program, now called Hurlburt Recycles for Education, awards two $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors for expenses at a college or university in Florida. All high school seniors who meet eligibility criteria and attend an accredited school in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, or Walton Counties are eligible to apply for this scholarship. "A thousand dollars might not sound like much, but it sure can give a student or parent paying for college a chance to catch their financial breath," said Williams. "I'd like to think these initial scholarships are the baby steps towards larger amounts. In the future, I'd like to see these two scholarships grow into five $2500 scholarships, but we need the Hurlburt community's help to get there." The scholarship recipients will be chosen based on ratings calculated by judges using a simple set of criteria determined by the base recycling committee. Applications outline the award criteria and all applicants are encouraged to be as thorough as possible when filling out the award packages. Mr. Williams' goal is to raise awareness of the benefits of recycling, increase money for the base, and turn trash into education. "Establishing and presenting these scholarships will certainly demonstrate to the local community that recycling can benefit them directly, folks will begin to think twice before throwing something in the trash," said Mr. Williams. Any family member, child, or Hurlburt employee who has access to the base can drop off their boxes, glass, cans, cardboard, equipment and recycling products at the recycling center or in any of the recycling containers on base.