Members of Goshen Brownie Troop 146 collecting crayons for the Crayon initiative, a nationwide program that collects donated crayons, then melts them down to repurpose for art programs at children’s hospitals while reducing way sludge that clogs landfills. Photos provided by Kelly Williams.
Goshen Brownie Troop 146 has left crayon collection boxes at all four schools in the Goshen School District; they plan to leave collection boxes at businesses around town for additional donations.
Members of Goshen Brownie Troop 146 are participating in the Crayon Initiative, a nationwide program that collects donated crayons, then melts them down to repurpose for art programs at children’s hospitals while reducing way sludge that clogs landfills.
The Brownies have left crayon collection boxes at all four schools in the Goshen School District - Scotchtown Avenue Elementary, the Intermediate School, CJ Hooker Middle School and the high school. They also plan to leave collection boxes at businesses around town for additional donations.
“After the collection date is over, we will have a sorting party for the girls so we can have them sorted before we send to the Crayon Initiative,” said Kelly Williams, who is working with Brownie Troop 146. “This will enable us to also participate in some art projects and create letters for the children who will receive our crayons. Art therapy is a very powerful tool and just getting kids together lately has been an uplifting experience.
“The Crayon Initiative will then melt down all of our crayons and create new boxes of crayons to deliver to art therapy programs at children’s hospitals across the United States, Williams added. “There are several hospitals participating in the Greater New York area.
“Also, I had no idea that crayons are not very environmentally friendly,” she said. “They turn into a waxy sludge that never biodegrades and clogs up landfills. More than a half-million pounds of crayons are discarded every year, which equates to roughly 60 million crayons. So this project also helps us learn about recycling, which is another very powerful tool.”