On June 8, Gershow Recycling announced it has donated an additional $1,000 on top of its pledge to match the amount of $506 raised by the students at William Floyd Elementary School as part of "Can Tabs for Kids," a program designed to raise funds for the fight against childhood cancer. The money will go to benefit the Sunrise Fund at Stony Brook University Medical Center, an organization that raises awareness and funds for specific projects to assist families. Jonathan Abrams, Manager, Gershow Recycling, presented the check during a special assembly at William Floyd Elementary School.
As part of the Can Tabs for Kids program, students brought in aluminum tabs from soft drink and pet food cans that their parents purchased and placed them in collection bins located in their classrooms. Each week, the bags were taken out of the bins and brought to Gershow, where the contents were weighed and recycled. Gershow received 700,000 tabs from the students, weighing a total of 460 pounds and worth $253. The students' efforts inspired Gershow to donate an additional $1,000 to the Sunrise Fund on top of the $253 the company agreed to match.
The idea for the program was inspired by Maria Marks, a William Floyd Elementary School student who was diagnosed with cancer at a young age. Between the ages of two weeks and six months, she underwent numerous chemotherapy sessions. The constant exposure to the radiation resulted in Maria losing her hearing in both ears and now she must wear hearing aids. Her cancer has since been in remission.
The Sunrise Fund was established to raise awareness about childhood cancer and the special needs of such children throughout local communities. The money used by The Sunrise Fund sustains cutting-edge research and family programs such as support groups, a School Re-Entry Program and many others.
"Gershow Recycling is proud to have been part of Can Tabs for Kids," Mr. Abrams said. "The children surpassed all expectations in their participation in this wonderful program and providing support to their fellow classmate. The students' efforts inspired the company to make an additional donation to the Sunrise Fund on top of what the company has pledged to match."
"We would like to thank Gershow Recycling for their generous support," said Keith Fasciana, Principal of William Floyd Elementary School. "I am also very proud of Maria Marks and all the William Floyd Elementary students and families, for all their hard work and dedication in collecting over 700,000 can tabs."
Gershow has seven locations in Brooklyn, New Hyde Park, Freeport, Lindenhurst, Huntington Station, Bay Shore and Medford. For more information, call (631) 289-6188 or visit www.gershow.com.
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Started in 1964 by Sam Gershowitz, Gershow Recycling began as a two man operation with a tractor and trailer, a boom truck and the first portable car flattener. Now with the second generation carrying on the legacy, Gershow generates over 750 jobs, contributing millions of dollars to the local economy, while helping to preserve Long Island's environment. Gershow Recycling takes aluminum, brass, copper, steel, cast iron, appliances, cars and vehicles. In keeping with its philosophy of "Conserving the Future by Recycling the Past," Gershow Recycling purchases scrap metal that would have otherwise wound up in local landfills, and turns them into high-quality scrap products for recycling. The company produces both ferrous and non-ferrous products.