By Lee Weyhrich
Earlier this month, the Clay City Council voted on a new contract for garbage pickup. One of the stipulations of that contract was an option for garbage customers to be able to get pink receptacles to remind people of the fight against breast cancer.
The idea of getting pink cans came from Clay City Councilwoman Becky Johnson, and her family’s own struggle with the disease.
“I was at my sister’s in Olive Branch, Miss., and her neighbor had one,” she said. “Her neighbor told me that it benefited breast cancer research. Having had two nieces with breast cancer, I was very excited
. One sister’s been gone 16 years, and I lost one three years ago. We had a scare a couple years ago with my daughter.”
Johnson told the council about the cans when they first proposed the idea of renegotiating their garbage contracts in November. That bid was won by Republic Services.
The cans were given to the city for free by the trash company. The pink containers are free to residents with garbage pickup with proof of a donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
“They can go online or by mail and get a receipt and then bring it to City Hall, and we’ll give them one,” Johnson said.
Johnson said the rest of the council has been supportive of the initiative. She was also appreciative of Republic Services’ donation of the containers. She hopes seeing the containers will remind people to get regular checkups and donate to cancer research.
“I would like for everyone to support this,” she said. “I would like to see pink trash cans all over the city of Clay. I want everybody to know it is not just a pink trash can. It’s not something girly. It is a way of showing support for the cause.”
Curbside recycling in Clay begins Monday.