Profits from recycling to benefit marathon

The University will donate all monies from aluminum and steel recycling between Jan. 20 and Feb. 14 to the Four Diamonds Fund.

All profits from the recycling of aluminum and steel cans at the University from Jan. 20 to Feb. 14 will be donated to the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, to benefit the Four Diamonds Fund at the University's Hershey Medical Center.

"This is just our way of saying to the students what a fine thing they are doing," said Al Matyasovsky, coordinator of the University's recycling efforts. "For the University community to be able to participate, we think it's a very good thing and we are proud to be a part of it."

The Office of Physical Plant handles the recycling, and participating in the program is easy, said Paul Ruskin, communications coordinator for OPP.

"Students can really help contribute to the dance marathon just by making sure they put things in the right recycling bin," Ruskin said.

The materials collected will be brought to Lewistown, where they will be processed by the company which markets all of the University's special recycling projects -- Joe Krentzman and Son, Inc.

"Joe Krentzman and Son is pleased that we could help the dance marathon, and proud of its association with Penn State University," said Penn State alumni and president of the company Steve Krentzman.

The Krentzman company will return a check for the value of the recycled goods. The check will be presented sometime during the final hours of the dance marathon, Matyasovsky said.

"We expect the check to exceed $3,000," he said.

Organizers of the dance marathon were surprised when they were approached by Ruskin and Matyasovsky about the recycling program.

"It's great to see the University administration taking an active part in this," said Amy Stacy, public relations chair for dance marathon. "The best thing is that we did not solicit this. They came to us with the idea, which is rare for a philanthropy like us."

This program follows in the wake of the successful special recycling projects at Beaver Stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center, Matyasovsky said. All profits from recycled materials at both sites have been donated to the United Way, for the past two seasons. More than $10,000 was raised in recycling efforts at the stadium alone this year.

These special recycling programs have an additional benefit -- while they raise money for good causes, they also raise awareness about recycling, Matyasovsky said. He said recycling at the University has increased dramatically during the past two years. The University now recycles almost 50 percent of its refuse, and the recycling program recently received a governor's award for excellence.