Youngster spreads color to kids everywhere
CRANBERRY TWP — A second grader is taking action to help children in need and reduce landfill waste with one simple task: collecting crayons.
Emery Carner, 7, is collecting new and used crayons for No Crayon Left Behind, a Wexford-based nonprofit organization that redistributes them to children in need in the United States and abroad.
“They recycle crayons for kids that don't have crayons,” said Emery, who is a second grader at Connoquenessing Valley Elementary School.
Throughout the summer people can drop off crayons in the yellow collection bin that will be located outside the administrative offices in the Cranberry Township Municipal Center. There is also a bin at Dutilh United Methodist Church, where the Carners attend church.
Jamie Carner, Emery's mother, said they were looking for community service opportunities for children as part of Emery's participation in Reign pageants when they found No Crayon Left Behind. They started collection efforts in January.
The organization was started in September 2011 by Emily Skopov, who noticed how many crayons were thrown away at restaurants after young children were done using them.
New and like-new crayons are disinfected and repackaged. Broken crayons are melted down into new crayons before being repackaged, Carner said.
Through partnerships with local and international groups, the repurposed crayons make their way to schools throughout Western Pennsylvania, other nonprofits and children in 20 countries. No Crayon Left Behind has donated more than 1 million crayons, according to the group's website.
Carner said they collect the crayons weekly and sort them by color before passing them on to No Crayon Left Behind. They have also collected crayons at Emery's school and X-Cel Gymnastics.
Emery has also helped out with Meals on Wheels in Zelienople by decorating bags that the meals are delivered in. She's even delivering some meals herself recently.
“I like to help the community,” Emery said. “Someday I want to help the world.”
