"Raise the Roof for Recycling" is a capital fundraising campaign to raise money to build a new recycling center. Individuals, businesses, organizations can help by contributing money and services to VCRS.

The new 'Community Recycling Center' is being built on a five-acre site adjacent to the MSB Central Landfill on 49th State Street. The first phase of construction began in the summer of 2006.

When completed, the center will function as a collection site and processing plant for recyclable items. It will be centrally located, next to the MSB Central Landfill, and operated during convenient hours in order to provide the best service to our community.

Although the main focus of the center will be the collection and processing of recyclable material, it will also serve a brokerage for recovered resources, and a clearinghouse for information. From the center, VCRS will continue to provide educational outreach for schools, residents and businesses, promote wise waste management and promote the benefits of the three R's (reduce, reuse and recycle).

The Community Recycling Center is the foundation for building a sustainable recycling program in our community. The new center will utilize 'Leadership in Energy and Environment Design' (LEED) building techniques, which promotes whole-building practices and energy efficiency. It will minimize the use of products that require energy to manufacture or transport. It will also incorporate simple techniques that don't further pollute the environment, consume fossil fuel or unnecessarily extract our natural resources.

When the doors open we plan to handle thousands of pounds of materials a day, thereby catering to large waste producers. The center's capacity to handle large volumes of materials will allow local commercial waste-haulers to expand their services and offer curbside recycling to their clients. In the future VCRS will enlarge the recycling program to include drop-off sites for our outlying communities.

VCRS will fund the construction of the center through grants, monetary donations and in-kind contributions. Once constructed and operating at full capacity the center will be self-sustaining through service contracts, the sale of recyclable materials, processed and re-made items, and educational materials.

The development of a Community Recycling Center will
* increase the ability to recover valuable resources
* save households, businesses and industry money by avoiding disposal costs
* recover tons of recyclable materials (resources) on a daily basis
* extend the life of the landfill, consequently saving valuable land and air space
* save tax payers money
* give business a way to improve their efficiency and competitiveness

Monetary donations for Raise the Roof for Recycling are much appreciated and may be mailed to the 'Valley Community for Recycling Solutions, P.O. Box 876464, Wasilla, Alaska 99687