Schools in Yukon and northern British Columbia have collected more directories than ever before in Northwestel’s annual directory recycling program. Since the program began in 2002, nearly every year has seen increases in the numbers of out-dated directories collected for recycling and the cash awards earned from Northwestel. 2011 was no exception to this trend.

Twenty-six schools in Yukon and northern B.C. earned a total of $18,100.00 in donations from Northwestel in this 10^th anniversary year of the company’s directory recycling program. Students in Whitehorse, Fort Nelson and twelve other communities collected almost 9,000 directories from homes, offices and businesses. That compares to earned awards of $17,800.00 last year, with just over 8,000 directories collected.

Each spring, Northwestel invites schools to collect out-dated Northwestel directories for recycling and rewards participating schools with cash donations for school programs and activities.

“Schools across the North never fail to impress us with their enthusiasm for this program,” said Anne Kennedy, Northwestel Director Communications. “Nearly every year since 2002, the results of the program have surpassed all previous efforts. It’s a testament to the commitment that so many northerners have to the protection of our environment. Northwestel is very pleased to play a role in supporting this strong interest and rewarding students and schools with donation dollars to fund school needs. This year, schools are using the awards for a wide variety of purposes, including field trips, science supplies, sports equipment, bear-proof garbage cans and re-stocking school planters with flowers and shrubs. Northwestel is very proud that our awards will be used in such excellent ways.”

Most schools collect approximately 2 to 3 directories per student, but some schools achieve even higher results. For example, Nelnah Bessie John School in Beaver Creek has only 7 students but the school collected almost a hundred directories, or more than thirteen per student. “No matter how small the school, they can make a difference,” added Kennedy.

Since the program began, Northwestel has contributed $184,450.00 to schools in the NWT, Nunavut, Yukon and northern BC, which have collected 119,890 directories for recycling in the past ten years.

Several partners assist Northwestel in carrying out the directory recycling program, including the City of Whitehorse and several trucking companies. The City of Whitehorse coordinates the pickup of the directories from all Whitehorse schools, in boxes provided by Northwestel. (Schools outside Whitehorse bring their directories to a drop-off point in Whitehorse.) Northwest Transport, part of the Manitoulin Group, ships all directories collected in Yukon from Whitehorse to the recycling centre in Edmonton. A new partner for this year’s program, Manitoulin Transport of Fort St. John, is shipping directories from Fort Nelson to Edmonton. Directories collected in Dease Lake are being shipped to Smithers, B.C. for recycling, with the assistance of Bandstra Transportation Systems Limited of Smithers.

Schools earn $200.00 for meeting a target of one directory per student (Green Level), $500.00 for 1.25 or more directories per student (Jade Level) and $750.00 for two or more directories per student (Emerald Level). Northwestel also provides a smaller cash award of $100.00 for participating schools which do not meet the minimum requirements of the program.

Northwestel provides complete telecommunications solutions and entertainment services in the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, northern British Columbia and High Level, Alberta. The company’s operations span nearly 4 million square kilometres of the most remote and rugged areas of Canada.

[see attached list of benefiting schools]

 

For more information, contact:

Emily Younker                                                                                   

Corporate Communications Manager, Northwestel                                            

(867) 455-4245                                                                                

 

Or visit our website at www.nwtel.ca.