St. Charles Kiwanis Club gives back through cleanup effort

When seven St. Charles Kiwanians, along with three family members, cleaned up a block-long area behind a local Jewel store late last month, it made perfect sense.

Kiwanis is a service club – it’s what the group does.

But, why was a St. Charles club helping a store in Elburn? It was simply an act of giving back. The Elburn Jewel has been the drop-off location for the club’s plastic collection project since it started collecting in 2019, stated a news release from the St. Charles Kiwanis Club.

For background, the Trex company, makers of composite decking, had issued a challenge for organizations to collect 500 pounds of plastic bags in exchange for a donated bench – a benefit to the community and the environment.

The St. Charles Kiwanis club accepted the challenge. With the help of Trex partner sites – like the Jewel in Elburn and Jewel stores on the east and west side of St. Charles – the plastic that the club collects takes the next step in its transformation to a bench. Four benches have been made so far, with a fifth on the way.

Last month’s cleanup was just an example of cooperation between two helping hands in the community. It’s what they do.