This year marked the fourth annual Tire Take Back event, which OTS participates in partnership with Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) to raise funds for the Sunshine Foundation of Canada’s network of children with severe disabilities and life-threatening illnesses. The annual event calls on residents of Ontario to drop off scrap tires for free at collector locations across the province.
Each tire collected not only helps keep old tires from harmful landfills and burning facilities, but it also helps raise funds for Sunshine Foundation to help fulfill a child’s dream.
OTS is proud to be part of an incredible partnership that drives environmental action, community engagement and priceless dream fulfillments for The Sunshine Foundation’s children, and we’re excited to announce that our fourth annual Tire Take Back event was yet another success. This year’s event, which ran from May 27 to June 1, 2013, involved 60 OARA collector locations across the province and resulted in the collection of 58,371 tires, raising more than $175,000 for The Sunshine Foundation!
Through some friendly community competition, Sonshine Auto Parts in Cumberland, Ontario took the lead in this year’s Tire Take Back event, collecting 12,270 tires, and contributing more than $32,000 to the overall donation to The Sunshine Foundation. As a result of Cumberland community efforts, Sonshine Auto Parts won this year’s OTS Community Prize of $15,000 worth of sustainable recycled tire products to be used to create a sustainable and safe walkway to the skating rink at the Aquaview Community Centre in Orleans, Ottawa.
In celebrating this achievement, OTS also reached out to our partners, OARA and The Sunshine Foundation to get their perspective on the value of the Tire Take Back events and this year’s results.
OARA Chairman, Wally Dingman weighs in on his experience:
It makes me very proud to work alongside a group of auto recyclers who are willing to donate their time and resources to make our communities a cleaner place to live and work, while at the same time donating to The Sunshine Foundation – a wonderful national cause for children with severe disabilities and life-threatening illnesses. As OARA chairman, I am very proud of the great partners we have the opportunity to work with at OTS and The Sunshine Foundation.
I also had the honour of volunteering with The Sunshine Foundation on this year’s DreamLift as a result of last year’s community collection efforts, and it was a truly uplifting and humbling experience to see the huge impact our efforts can make in greening our communities and transforming the lives of The Sunshine Foundation’s children and families.
Nancy Sutherland, National Executive Director, The Sunshine Foundation shares her perspective:
The Sunshine Foundation is thrilled with this year’s results and proud of our partnership with OARA and OTS in these last four years. Tire Take Back is a perfect example of how organizations can mobilize and give back to their communities.
The impact of this one Tire Take Back week lasts for years. Thousands of used tires are responsibly recycled into new products, benefiting the Canadian environment and the economy, and countless dreams are fulfilled for children with severe physical disabilities and life-threatening illnesses.
Last year, the money raised from the Tire Take Back event allowed The Sunshine Foundation’s children to experience an unforgettable day of fun and independence travelling to Disney World on our DreamLift and some had a heartfelt dream realized through our Individual Dream program.
From experience, we know that these programs can transform a child’s life and having a dream come true can be empowering, not only for Sunshine Foundation’s families and children, but all those within our communities who are involved in helping to fulfill these dreams.
As we wrap up another great Tire Take Back event, OTS looks forward to continuing our work with our partners, tire recycling community and Ontarians to create sustainable communities – and transform lives along the way!
