By Mary Rathman
Yes he can!
When we last reported on Matt Mooney’s goal of collecting enough cans to finance a Habitat for Humanity home, his efforts had resulted in more than 1 million cans. That was in October, three years into his campaign.
Since that time, Mooney has added an additional 228,286 cans, yielding some 6,917 pounds of aluminum.
Word gets around, and Wayne Mooney, Matt’s father, said local businesses have played an important role in ensuring a successful collection.
The Hampton Inn & Suites in Wesley Chapel is one such business that knew this was a cause to get involved in. The story was posted by the time clock at the inn and employees started saving cans from the vacated rooms. Recently, Wayne Mooney met with Brian Jackman, guest services manager, to pick up their bagged donations.
Other businesses have also stepped up including the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Brooksville (more than 160,000 cans) and Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club in Dade City (more than 100,000 cans). One anonymous donor actually left the Mooney family a check for $1,000, the equivalent of 42,000 cans.
I, too, am doing my part. When I first heard and read about Mooney’s project, I made the simple decision to help. My household already recycles, so how hard was it going to be to just drop our cans into a separate container?
We are not big soda drinkers in our house, but I knew every can saved would be appreciated. I combined our bags with a few full bags that a friend of ours collected through his volunteer work with the sheriff’s department and dropped off our donations at one of the bins set up for Habitat for Humanity.
In order to build an entire home out of nothing but aluminum cans, Matt wants to reach a goal of 2.2 million cans by the time he graduates from Land O’ Lakes High in June 2011. Wayne Mooney looks at it this way. If everyone in Pasco County (population 475,000) donated 5 cans, Matt could have 2.38 million cans and a deserving family could get the keys to a new home — all this from aluminum cans.
(in a box)
Matt and his family thank the following donors for their generosity.
Kathleen Thomas, Thonotosassa
Century 21 Bill Nye Realty Inc.
Casey Tully, St. Leo Athletics Dept.
Mike at Top Line Auto, Zephyrhills
Mr. Alaimo, Pasco County Information Technology
Janet, Hampton Inn, Wesley Chapel
Corvin Morris, Wesley Chapel Toyota
Bill Ingalls, Dade City
Stanford Phillips, Condo Car Club
Ed, Dade City Auto Parts
The Connerton Clubhouse, Land O’ Lakes
Nancy, Robin Road Lane
The Rathman Family, Land O’ Lakes
Robert, Orlins Manufacturing, Zephyrhills
Meridian Title, Dade City
Sunrise of Pasco County, Dade City
“We are sure we missed a few contributors, perhaps dozen. The outpouring … has been incredible,” notes Wayne Mooney.
//If the 1,234,286 cans collected were stacked, the tower would stretch 93.75 miles
//If they were laid side by side, it would fill a 5.9-acre field.
//How your cans can help build a Habitat home
Interested donors can contact the Mooney family to coordinate donations by calling Wayne Mooney at (352) 467-9808. For more information about East Pasco Habitat for Humanity or Cans for Habitat, visit www.ephabitat.org.
