MENASHA (NBC 26) — A month after an EF-3 tornado devastated Menasha, some residents are still cleaning up. An electronics recycling drive accepted storm-damaged appliances for free on a rainy Saturday morning.
Organizer Rick Brunner said the event was designed to keep the financial benefits of the cleanup within the community.
"Why should the junkers basically benefit from the loss of the community?" Brunner said.
Brunner said the collection accepted items that typically come with a disposal fee.
"Refrigerators, freezers, a lot of times there's a charge for that because there's freon," he said. "And you have to pay to dispose the freon properly. And we're taking those items free of charge."
Neighbors said the event was a good opportunity to clean up their homes and support a good cause.
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Dean Dvorak said he and others made a point to attend after learning about the charitable component.
"We brought computers in, we brought televisions in, CD players, a whole bunch of things and electronics that weren't really working anymore," Dvorak said. "And we put it on our calendar because we saw they're helping Shop with a Cop, and it's a good way to get rid of our stuff that wasn't working."
Brunner credited volunteers and the broader community for making the collection run smoothly.
"I'd like to thank the community for coming out and donating. We did get a couple volunteers from the community, and I'd like to thank them. I can't take the credit for this."
The nonprofit Rick's Toybox helped sponsor the collection. Proceeds from the event benefit Menasha's Shop with a Cop program.
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