Over a decade ago, a collaborative fundraising effort was started through the efforts of one caring Perry Wellness Center peer to raise money for a friend’s ill father. Redeeming the pop tops of soda cans has become a way of generating funds through drives by non-profit organizations.

After the death of his friend’s father, Kaylon Holt turned his efforts to fundraising for the Ronald McDonald House in Columbus, Georgia. This organization provides assistance to the families of seriously ill, hospitalized young people throughout the country.

Kaylon Holt enlisted the assistance of PWC staffer Mulkey McMichael to organize the collection and delivery process. Perry Wellness Center became an ongoing sponsor, and for years have helped with everything from donation drives with local businesses to making deliveries to the Ronald McDonald House to providing publicity, Kaylon and Mulkey involved schools, nurses, churches, and other groups in setting out donation cans in Americus and other sites in five southwest Georgia counties.

One faithful stakeholder over the last several years has been John Dent, owner of Dent Hardware in downtown Buena Vista, Georgia. It is now that top collection site for the area campaign first begun by Kaylon. Dent enjoys his involvement, saying, “This pop top collecting has been good for us, to link with others involved in the collection process.”

He continued with a smile, “I wish all of these pop tops had come from products we sell, but it soon evolved into collections by our customers.”  Dent reminds potential donors of the help their donations will provide to others.

In the photo, Dent Hardware clerks Evan, Rylan, and Jordan get ready to move the latest collection for transfer to the Ronald McDonald House. We’ll have an updated tally soon, but we surpassed the one million pop top count a few years ago! Many thanks to all, especially Kaylon Holt.