Tissue plant receives award

BARTON - SCA Tissue and a group of 25 volunteer SCA Tissue employees have won the 2009 Alabama People Against a Littered State (PALS) Governor's Award.

The awards are scheduled to be presented today during a ceremony in Prattville.

The company won the award in the business and industry category. The volunteer group, the Litter Getters, won the Vulcan Volunteer of the Year category.

"We are proud to receive this award as a company and equally pleased that the volunteer efforts of the Litter Getters have been singled out for recognition," said Marty Ferguson, SCA Tissue director of southeast operations. "Thinking globally and acting locally is a cornerstone of environmental stewardship that is reflected not only in how SCA conducts business but also in the way our employees extend those values out into the community."

Employees Joseph Rickard and Robert Alsobrooks started the voluntary group two and a half years ago.

The duo took note of the litter that lined Haley Drive that leads to the Barton plant and decided to do something about it.

"The first time we (cleaned it up), it took a whole day of work," Rickard said.

Thirty-three workers so far have at one time or another picked up trash. Volunteers receive a Litter Getter T-shirt after volunteering twice and a long sleeve shirt after volunteering five times.

SCA supplied grabbers, garbage bags and an outdoor storage shed for the group, which picks up trash once a month. Recently, their activities have been put on hold because of road construction.

The company won the governor's award "based on its recycling efforts through the industry and its promotion of environmental awareness in the community through education and outreach with community groups and schools," said Danny Allison, president of the Colbert County chapter of PALS.

Trevor Stokes can be reached at 740-5728 or trevor.stokes@TimesDaily.com.