by Stevi Valenzuela
On Feb. 6, seniors Matthew Sheller and Moises Agundez hosted a non-hazardous household waste drop-off event for their Senior Legacy Experience (SLE), free to all of Madera County. Last year, Sheller’s brother Michael held the same SLE, inspiring Sheller and Agundez to carry it on another year with the hopes someone will continue it yet again after they graduate. The two explained they wanted to do something that would help the community and decided this would be the best project for them.
At the event, items collected were categorized into multiple bins. In the E-Waste bin, such items included TVs, keyboards, phones, monitors, printers, kitchen appliances, and treadmills. In other bins, items like tires and mattresses were collected. In total, they collected three bins worth of donated items and an entire semi-truck full of mattresses.
Throughout the event, COVID safety protocols were in place to ensure the safety of everyone involved. With the help of EMADCO, a local disposal service, gloves, masks, hand sanitizer, and even a handwashing station were provided. In addition, the school nurse Amy Sheller performed brief symptoms screening for attendees.
Overall, Sheller and Agundez view their project as a huge success, saying they had fun planning and executing every aspect of the project.