Bella Rahming notes there are few opportunities to recycle at school — “but it has to start somewhere.”
Rahming, a senior at Iola High School, has decided to do her part to help make recycling a more prominent part of her generation’s lifestyle.
On top of speaking out to Iola City Council members about her desire to see the city and county take over an existing volunteer recycling program, Rahming showed up last weekend at the recycling depot to lend a hand.
Rahming, who also serves as IHS Student Council president, was among the few but hearty volunteers greeting residents as they dropped off recyclable materials, such as aluminum cans, plastics and cardboard. 
In between deliveries, she helped sort the various items into their specified bins, and even helped bale a load of plastic for shipping.
She’d hoped to get more of her friends to show up, but none did.
“They’re too lazy on Saturdays,” she laughed.
Across 3½ hours, Rahming paused only long enough to get thicker gloves, or to learn the ins and outs of the operation with the more experienced volunteers.
“It’s been fun,” she said, adding it reignited her passion to keep the spotlight on the need for recycling.
When Rahming spoke with City Council members in August, she noted schools can do more by adding various receptacles for such things as cardboard and plastics.
The key, she suggested, was to get youngsters to make recycling a part of their daily routine, to ensure they’ll be better stewards as they become adults.
She also wondered if schools could offer more service projects dedicated to recycling.
Her comments got the attention of Steve Strickler, one of the driving forces behind Allen County Recycling.
“I’m 74, and I’m not doing this for me,” Strickler said. “This is for kids like Bella. I’d like to see if they could put programs together at schools, show what we do with the materials, and how some items can be reused.”
THE PLAN remains for the city and county to eventually take over the recycling program, although how the new system will work remains unclear.
City Council members voted to add a full-time employee to help with recycling, but the position will not be funded until 2027.
