Community Partnerships

5th Annual Earth Day Open House at Monarch Hill Renewable Energy Park

More than 125 Florida Area Waste Management and Wheelabrator employee volunteers welcomed 1,000 students and their families from 11 local elementary schools to the 5th Annual Earth Day Open House at Monarch Hill Renewable Energy Park on Saturday, April 12th. The event raised funds for each school's PTA.

"This was the fifth year we've invited elementary school students and their families for Earth Day to experience what we do here at Monarch Hill Renewable Energy Park," said Dawn McCormick, Florida Area Director of Communications & Community Relations. "We wanted the students to come away with a clearer understanding of our environmentally sound practices and leading edge technology that produces enough clean, renewable electricity from waste at this site alone to power more than 50,000, homes per day."

In addition to tours of the landfill, students participated in hands-on recycling, renewable energy and environmental-related activities. From WM experts they learned about how waste and the landfill gas it generates becomes "clean" renewable electrical energy, environmental safeguards and ground water monitoring, and recycling tips.

Miami Dolphins alumni players Mark Duper, Lorenzo Hampton and Lousaka Polite poised for photographs with the students in front of a compressed natural gas (CNG) powered truck. Miami Dolphins cheerleaders also encouraged the students during the Recycle Often Recycle Right game.

Ten of the schools also participated in the Art Dumpster contest with Earth Day themes of Recycling, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and Water Conservation.

From right: WM Area Vice President Tim Hawkins and Broward County Commissioner Chip LaMarca present the first prize check of $3,000 for registering the most students at the event to Quiet Waters Elementary School in Deerfield Beach and its principal Lori McConaughey (left).

  

Kaylee Fruchter and brother Matthew Fruchter team up with Miami Dolphins alum Mark Duper to learn about compressed natural gas (CNG) powered trucks.

Christina Robertson with her daughters Park Trails Elementary first grader Heather and third grader Jordan by their school's first place prize winner in the Waste Management Art Dumpster contest.

  

Families learn about the liner system and environmental safeguards at the landfill from WM Environmental Protection Manager Sheree Grant.

 

 

WM in the Community

Waste Management was pleased to give back to the community in the first quarter of 2014.

YMCA of Broward County

Supporting the YMCA of Broward County Martin Luther King Inspirational Breakfast were Wheelabrator's Esteban Lopez, and the WM team of Tony Spadaccia, John Albert, Luigi Pace and Dawn McCormick.

  

Coconut Creek Soccer

Coconut Creek Soccer had a WM sponsored team in the 10 and under group lead by Coach Edwin Vasquez and supported by Dawn McCormick, WM's Director of Community Relations.

WM was also pleased to support the 37th Annual Broward County Waterway Cleanup; Plantation Women's Club and Plantation Garden Club; Davie Orange Blossom Festival; City of Coconut Creek Butterfly Festival; Greater Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce Teachers of the Year; Rotary of Pompano Beach; Kiwanis Club of Lauderdale Lakes; Plantation Volunteer Fire Association; P.A.R.O.T. Foundation Tamarac; Sample-McDougald House Preservation Society; Wilton Manors Business Association; Sheriff's Foundation of Broward County; and the Martin Luther King Scholarship in Dania Beach.

 

 

Waste Management strives to be a good corporate citizen. The company supports a variety of community events including Fourth of July Celebrations, Veterans Day and Holiday Parades, "Green" Environmental Fairs and local sports teams.

In Broward County, Waste Management has funded the creation of the WM Wellness Center at the Lauderhill YMCA at Lauderhill Middle School, the "Bigs in Schools" program of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County at Coconut Creek High School and Coconut Creek Elementary School, and the "Homes for Haiti" project in partnership with The Florida Marlins and Coconut-Creek based Food for the Poor.

Left: WM Community Affairs Manager Dawn McCormick (to the right of Billy the Marlin) participates in the inauguration of Inspiration Village.
Right: WM Community Affairs Manager Dawn McCormick with resident Liolatta and her two daughters outside their new two-room

Waste Management celebrates dedication of Inspiration Village in Haiti
Nearly 200 displaced victims of the January 12, 2010 earthquake have found a permanent home in Inspiration Village in Haiti as part of the Florida Marlins and Food for the Poor campaign.  Waste Management, which has more than 500 workers of Haitian descent in South Florida, rallied immediately after the earthquake to raise $50,000 in emergency aid for Haiti to provide 10 two-room homes. READ MORE

 

 

Waste Management donates "Rock of Ages" location fee to fund college scholarships
Waste Management has donated the location fee from the filming of a scene of the feature film “Rock of Ages” at Monarch Hill landfill to fund four college scholarships for students at neighboring Monarch High School in Coconut Creek. READ MORE

From left: WM Community Affairs Manager Dawn McCormick, students Austin Williams, Lea Gavaris, Missa Abuzamel, Gabriela Teixeira and Monarch Hill Landfill Manager Jeff Roccapriore. Photo Credit: Candace West

 

 

From left: Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach Executive Director Michael Campbell, Delray Beach Vice Mayor Angeleta Gray, WM Government Affairs Manager Butch Carter, Greek Week Director Kay Haddon and FAU Graduate Assistant for the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Sean O'Brien. Photo Credits: Darryl Nobles.

Waste Management sponsors beautification of three Delray Beach homes
In Delray Beach, 60 Florida Atlantic University fraternity brothers and sorority sisters recently laid down sod and primed homes for painting at three area homes as part of "A Brush with Kindness," a Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County initiative sponsored by Waste Management which helps low-income homeowners maintain the exterior of their homes with painting, minor repairs, landscaping and exterior clean-up. READ MORE

 

 

Waste Management donates to local schools as Earth Day festivities celebrate renewable energy
In an event that raised funds for each school’s PTA, more than 1,500 students and their families from Winston Park, Tradewinds and Coconut Creek Elementary Schools participated in an Earth Day celebration hosted by Waste Management at the newly named Monarch Hill Renewable Energy Park. READ MORE

Students representing Winston Park, Tradewinds and Coconut Creek Elementary Schools along with Waste Management release butterflies during the naming of Monarch Hill Renewable Energy Park. Photo Credit: Darryl Nobles.

 

 

Waste Management has agreed to photograph and film Flat Canley, made out of squished aluminum cans, cardboard and other recyclable materials, as he travels from the recycling bin to the company’s Reuter Recycling Facility in Pembroke Pines. "Flat Canley” is based on the Flat Stanley phenomenon where students send a flat paper “person” to  students in other states and Flat Stanley is returned with letters and pictures from his travels.  READ MORE

 

 

Waste Management and Miami Dolphins Fans Party with a Purpose
Miami Dolphins fans scored big recently when they joined Waste Management for the WM Recycle Roundup “Two Ton Challenge,” piling up 5.9 tons of recyclables during pre-game festivities at Sun Life Stadium. READ MORE

Teen volunteers L to R standing: Jamie Mills, Terrence Sweeney, volunteer leader Belinda Wright, Gabriela Chavez, Samuel Cubas and Michael Yero. In front: Tarik Cummings, left and Rafael Valdes.  Photo Credit: Darryl Nobles.