Veteran collecting plastic to create park benches

By Veronica Ortega

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    IMLAY CITY, Michigan (WWJ) — The VFW is honoring an Imlay City veteran for his commitment to the community.

Harry Earehart collected 1,000 pounds of plastic in just six months to make a bench for Veterans Park, and he’s working on gathering more for a second one.

Earehart and his wife Rosemary spent Saturday afternoon packing plastic into bags for recycling.

“I can get up to 20 pounds per bag, Harry Earehart said. “And you’re allowed four bags a week. We take it, we bag it here, and then we take it to Kroger’s.”

The plastic is then shipped off to a company that makes outdoor products, like benches.

“It’s good, heavy plastic and I didn’t think that the city would turn it down by not taking them. They said, yes, they would definitely take them,” Harry Earehart said.

He first saw the bench at an assisted living facility Maple Vista. That set off the spark to get more for Veterans Park.

“I just think it’s wonderful that he takes the time to do this because, you know, he’s been a veteran. He knows the need is out there for veterans and to help other people to get inspired to do this,” Rosemary Earehart said.

Plastic donation boxes can be found at the VFW Post 2492, City Hall, grocery stores and churches in the area.

“I hope more people get involved. It doesn’t cost them, but it’s kind to do this and it keeps it out of the landfill,” Harry Earehart said.

In the year since Harry started this project, the city has added benches to Veterans Park, but Harry Earehart has plans for benches all over the city.

“I was thinking about like going up here at the city library, where we have a monument for the war people that has passed away, maybe put a couple benches up by the library and around the monument,” he said.

For some people, a bench is just a place to sit down. For Harry Earehart, it’s a way to not only help the environment, but to still serve the country he loves.

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