7th Annual America Recycles Day Billboard Contest Announced

The 7th Annual America Recycles Day Billboard Design Contest is underway. Pictured is the winning design for 2015 designed by Emily Ruiz, a 7th grader from Eastbrook Middle School.

The Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority is pleased to announce the 7th Annual America Recycles Day Billboard Contest for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders that attend either public or private schools participating in the Target Recycling at School program in Whitfield County. 

Students are invited to design a billboard in keeping with the spirit of America Recycles Day, which is celebrated yearly on November 15. The top design out of the three grade levels will be displayed during the month of November on two billboards in Whitfield County.

Schools in Whitfield County that can participate include Eastbrook Middle, New Hope Middle, North Whitfield Middle, Valley Point Middle, Westside Middle, Dalton Middle, Northstar School, Crossroads Academy, Christian Heritage School, and Learning Tree School.

During the 2015 contest, Eastbrook Middle School 7th grader, Emily Ruiz, won first place overall. Her design, chosen out of 162 entries includes the phrase “I want to be recycled” which was one of the themes of the contest. The artwork is eye catching and very colorful showing a plastic bottle inside a recycling bin with a soda can following it thinking that it also wants to be recycled. 

Themes for this year include, “I want to be recycled.”, and “I recycle with Recycling Ben!” First, second, and third place prizes will be given in each of the three grade levels. The grand prize is chosen from the three first place winners. 

The Contest Guide with an entry form can be downloaded at www.DWSWA.org.  Deadline for entries is October 17, 2016. There is no entry fee, however an official entry form needs to be included with the artwork. Only artwork submitted directly from a school representative will be accepted. Winners will be announced on October 24. 

For more information contact Liz Swafford, Recycling and Education Program Coordinator, at 706-278-5001 or e-mail: lswafford@dwswa.org. To learn more about America Recycles Day visit www.americarecyclesday.org.

Closed September 5, 2016 for Labor Day

Four Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority facilities will be closed on Monday, September 5, 2016 in observance of Labor Day. Locations include the Old Dixie Landfill & Convenience Center, McGaughey Chapel Convenience Center, Westside Convenience Center, and the M.L. King Convenience Center. 

All locations will reopen on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.  For more information visit www.DWSWA.org or call 706-277-2545.

Labor Day Holiday Schedule:

Saturday, September 3, 2016 - All Locations Open - Normal Hours (7:00 am – 3:00 pm)

Monday, September 5, 2016 – All Locations Closed

Tuesday, September 6, 2016 – All Locations Open (7:00 am – 6:00 pm)  (Westside Normally Closed)

Wednesday, September 7, 2016 – Resume Normal Operating Days and Hours (McGaughey Chapel Closed)

Four Place In Equipment, Mechanic, and Truck Road-E-O

Two Advance to International Road-E-O

On May 11, 2016, the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) Georgia Chapter held its annual Equipment, Mechanic, and Truck Road-E-O at the Southern Pines Ag and Expo Center in Dublin, Georgia. This chapter event was held to qualify competitors for the SWANA International Road-E-O to be held at the same location on September 3rd. The equipment, mechanic, and truck Road-E-Os are just one way that SWANA tries to give back to and recognizes the outstanding personnel in the solid waste management industry.

Four employees of the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority participated and placed in the May event which qualified competitors from both the private and public sectors. Competitions were held for automated side- loader, front load, rear load, roll-off, and tractor trailer under the truck categories; dozer, articulated dump truck (ADT), rubber-tired loader, and track hoe in the equipment categories; and mechanics. Competitors skills were tested as they maneuvered through challenging courses.

In the Truck Competition category McKenny Pittman placed 2nd in the Front Loader event. In the Equipment Competition category Eddie Ashe placed 3rd in the Dozer event. Josh Kruse placed 3rd in the Off Road Truck event and in the Rubber Tire Loader event. Marlon Cole placed 1st in the Track Hoe event, and was the top overall finisher in the equipment category earning him the title of “Top Gun”. Pittman and Cole will move on to compete in the International Road-E-O next month. Learn more about this event here: http://www.gaswana.org/road-e-o.html

Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority employee, Marlon Cole, placed 1st in the Track Hoe event during the Road-E-O competition in Dublin, Georgia this May. His top scores in the Equipment competition category earned him the title of “Top Gun” and a spot at the International Road-E-O event next month.

McKenny Pittman, who represented the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority at the Road-E-O in May, placed 2nd in the Front Loader event which is part of the Truck competition. Pittman will move on to compete in the International Road-E-O event in September.

Josh Kruse, a Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority employee, participated in the Equipment category of the Road-E-O in May which was held in Dublin, Georgia. Josh Kruse placed 3rd in the Off Road Truck event, and in the Rubber Tire Loader event.

Joel Scott, SWANA Georgia Chapter Treasurer, recognizes Eddie Ashe at the Road-E-O competition in Dublin, Georgia this May. Ashe, an employee of the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, placed 3rd in the Dozer event which is part of the Equipment competition.

2016 School Beautification Grants Available Thru Keep Dalton Whitfield Beautiful

(Dalton, GA, August 10, 2016) – Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful is pleased to announce the availability of School Beautification Grants for Fall 2016. The committee for Beautification and Community Greening has established mini-grants in celebration of National Planting Day. Beautification grants may range from a minimum of $100 to a maximum of $250.

Public and private schools in the Dalton, GA and Whitfield County area are invited to apply for funding that can help implement a project related to planting native plants. A school club, a single classroom, whole grade level or the entire school may organize a project.

National Planting Day is celebrated annually by Keep America Beautiful in the fall as an opportunity to encourage volunteers to plant native species restoring ecological balance to the environment while creating greener, more beautiful communities. Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful is making these grants available to improve the visual aspects of our community through projects that beautify and clean the environment.

Knowing that children play a very important part in making this happen we want them to reap the benefits by participating in a project for their very own school. Beautification projects could include establishing or supporting a school garden, planting flowers in an outdoor space, or using plants for educational purposes.

Grant applications must be submitted online no later than Friday, September 9 at www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org using the form on the Beautification page. For questions regarding the form or any aspects of your proposed project call executive director Liz Swafford at 706-278-5001. Grant winners will be announced September 23. Projects must be completed by December 2 and a project summery is to be submitted by December 16. 

To see what the 2015 winners did with the grant visit the School Beautification Projects page. 

Closed July 4, 2016 in Observance of Independence Day

Landfill, Convenience Centers To Be Closed July 4

Facilities closed in observance of Independence Day

Four Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority facilities will be CLOSED on Monday, July 4, 2016 in observance of Independence Day. 

Locations include:

• Old Dixie Landfill & Convenience Center
• McGaughey Chapel Convenience Center
• Westside Convenience Center
• M.L. King Convenience Center

All locations will reopen on Tuesday, July 5, 2016 from 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.  For more information call 706-277-2545.

Independence Day Holiday Schedule:

• Saturday, July 2, 2016 - All Locations Open - Normal Hours (7:00 am – 3:00 pm)
• Monday, July 4, 2016 – All Locations Closed
• Tuesday, July 5, 2016 – All Locations Open (7:00 am – 6:00 pm)   (Westside Normally Closed)
• Wednesday, July 6, 2016 – Resume Normal Operating Days and Hours (McGaughey Chapel Closed)