BY PAUL HALLORAN

Recycling in Broward County has beenmade easier, thanks to the adoption ofsingle-stream recycling in mostcommunities as of Oct. 1, 2009.

Under single-stream recycling – alsoknown as all-in-one or fully commingled –recyclable items no longer have to be sorted.It is a system in which all paper fibers andcontainers are mixed together in a collection truck, insteadof being sorted into separate commodities (newspaper,

cardboard, plastic, glass, etc.) by residents andhandled separately throughout the collection

process. In single stream, both the collectionand processing systems must be designed tohandle this fully commingled mixture ofrecyclables.

The switch to single-stream recycling inBroward County was made possible by Waste

Management’s upgrading its facility inPembroke Pines last year. “It’s a state-of-the-art

facility that is designed to handle single-stream recycling,”

Vol. 3, No. 1 Fall 2009A PUBLICATION OF WHEELABRATOR TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Sawgrass Springs Middle School students were all smiles outside Land Shark Stadium duringa field trip to a Florida Marlins game as part of Wheelabrator’s 15th Annual Symposium forEnvironment and Education. Pages 4-5.

SSeeee RREECCYYCCLLIINNGG PPaaggee 66

Recycling made easier

Retiring Old Glory

BY MEAGHAN CASEY

In a boiler roomswelling with emotionand pride, WheelabratorNorth Browardemployees advanced atattered flag down theline of honor guardmembers before placingit atop the hundreds ofother flags set to beretired.

The ceremony was held on June13, the day before Flag Day, toproperly retire and destroy Americanflags too worn and faded to display.The flags were collected by Boy

Scout CommissionerAndy Buglione and histroops in Pompano.

Wheelabratormechanics Jim Nez andKevin Travis wereinstrumental in planningthe flag retirementceremony. A retiredmaster sergeant in theArmy Reserves, Traviswas activated to servein the Middle East,

Haiti and Georgia during hisemployment at Wheelabrator. Nez, aretired first-class aviation structural

Boy Scouts look to Wheelabrator for proper American flag disposal

SSeeee FFLLAAGG DDIISSPPOOSSAALL PPaaggee 66

PRSRT-STDU.S. Postage

PAIDGrant

Communications

WheelabratorNorth Broward, Inc.2600 Northwest 48th St.Pompano Beach, FL33073

Having a ball

I wanted to makesure that whenwe disposed of

the flags, wewould do so in

the right manner.

Jim Nez

“

Wheelabrator employees, from left, Oscar Marenco, Hanif Comarcho, CapleMalcolm, Roberto Pedrosa, Marcos Furment, Carlos Velazquez salute duringthe flag-disposal ceremony.

WHEELABRATOR SYMPOSIUM

2—Wheelabrator Broward News Fall 2009

AA PPUUBBLLIICCAATTIIOONN OOFF::Wheelabrator Technologies, Inc.

www.wheelabratortechnologies.com

CChhrriiss CCaarreeyyRegional Vice President

SSccootttt MMccIIllvvaaiinneePlant Manager North Broward

WWhheeeellaabbrraattoorr NNoorrtthh BBrroowwaarrdd,, IInncc..2600 Northwest 48th

Pompano Beach, FL 33073Tel. 954-971-8701

JJaaiirraajj GGoossiinneePlant Manager South Broward

WWhheeeellaabbrraattoorr SSoouutthh BBrroowwaarrdd,, IInncc..4400 South State Rd. 7

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314Tel. 954-581-6606

SSeenndd yyoouurr ssttoorryy iiddeeaa ttoo::Sally Alvarez

4400 South State Rd. 7Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314

Tel. 954-581-6606e-mail: salvarez@wm.com

GRANT COMMUNICATIONS

CONSULTING GROUP

Boston/New York781-598-8200

www.grantgroup.com

PRODUCED BY:

Jairaj Gosine

Scott McIlvaine

As we approach nearly two decadesof providing energy to Broward County,I’d like to take the opportunity torecognize the employees andcommunity who energize this facility ona daily basis.

It’s the dedication of employees suchas Jim Nez, whom you will read aboutin this edition that defines WheelabratorNorth Broward. Because of Jim, wewere able to hold a heartfelt ceremonyto retire hundreds of U.S. flags the BoyScouts collected. Jim took the time to

research proper retirement methods andgather military veterans at our plant toparticipate. This is just one example ofan employee going above and beyondthe call of duty.

I also want to highlight ourcommunity. Broward County has shownus tremendous support in providing us ahome since this plant’s inception. Werecognize it is our job to be aresponsible corporate neighbor, which iswhy we are eager to step up and supportthe efforts of organizations such as

Partners in Education and SOSChildren’s Villages – Florida.

In this edition, you will also readabout the efforts of the middle-schoolstudents who participated in the 15thannual Wheelabrator Symposium forEnvironment and Education. All fourBroward County teams did atremendous job, and it was a pleasure toattend and watch them shine.

Scott McIlvaine is plant manager ofWheelabrator North Broward.

At Wheelabrator South Broward, ourdoors are always open. I think thatphilosophy rang true, more than ever, aswe welcomed friends and guests to ourfacility throughout the spring andsummer months.

We were delighted to host the Davie-Cooper City Chamber of Commerce foran after-hours networking event in July.It was wonderful to be able to give thecommunity a better understanding ofwhat we do here on a daily basis. Manythanks to Amelio Mendez, profiled inthis edition, who did a tremendous jobleading tour groups.

We also held a very successful eventto show appreciation for the drivers whovisit our plant on a daily basis. Morethan 250 drivers participated here at theSouth plant. We handed out “Safety –Do It For Life” fliers, and all enjoyedfood, beverages and a friendly hello andthanks.

It was an honor to host the buddingyoung environmentalists whoparticipated in this year’s WheelabratorSymposium for Environment andEducation. Prior to the Symposium, theteam from New River Middle Schoolvisited our plant for a tour and lunch. I

was so impressed with these students,not only during their visit, but also atthis year’s event. All of the teamspresented with the poise and know-howof students beyond their years.Congratulations to all who participated.

As we usher in yet another schoolyear, I wish our students the best ofluck. I look forward to continuing ourschool-based partnerships and attendingthe many exciting events planned forthe upcoming months.

Jairaj Gosine is plant manager ofWheelabrator South Broward.

Our doors are always open

Our employees go above and beyond

Open-door policy

Have you ever wonderedwhat happens to your trashafter it is collected from thecurb?

We invite you to tour one of our Broward County plantsand witness firsthand thejourney waste takes as it isconverted into electricity.

To set up a tour, please contact:

Wheelabrator North BrowardSally Alvarez2600 Northwest 48th Pompano Beach, FL 33073954-971-8701 x 219 salvarez@wm.com

Wheelabrator South BrowardJoyce Tate4400 South State Road 7Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314954-581-6606 x 211 jtate1@wm.com

Anderson takes the LEED BY MEAGHAN CASEY

When it comes to sustainable design and energypractices, Wheelabrator is taking the LEED.

Roger Anderson, director of engineering forWheelabrator Technologies, has earned Leadershipin Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)accreditation from the U.S. Green BuildingCouncil. The accreditation is presented toprofessionals who have demonstrated a thoroughunderstanding of green building practices, and whohave passed the national exam. Anderson is one ofapproximately 75,000 nationwide and the first atWheelabrator to earn the prestigious credential.

“Today’s society is demanding more and more interms of green-building design and technology thatpreserve and protect our natural resources,” saidAnderson. “That’s what sustainability is all about.People want to recycle; they want to purchaseorganic foods; they want to invest in fuel-efficientcars; and they want to be able to purchase green,renewable power.”

As a certified LEED professional, Andersonhopes to be able to better meet those demands.

“Wheelabrator needs to position itself to be ableto respond,” he said. “We need to have green-building design in our arsenal of offerings to thecommunities we serve.”

As an internationally recognized green-buildingcertification system, LEED provides verificationthat a building or community was designed andbuilt using strategies aimed at improving energysavings, water efficiency, emissions reduction,

improved indoor air quality and stewardship ofresources.

Anderson, who grew up on a dairy farm inWisconsin, has more than 30 years’ experience inengineering, project management, fieldconstruction, permitting and contractadministration. He earned his degree in civil andenvironmental engineering at the University ofWisconsin-Madison and began his career as astructural design engineer with UOP, Inc. in DesPlaines, Ill. He then progressed to project engineer,field engineer and home office constructioncoordinator, working on various petrochemical,

refinery, pharmaceutical plants, trash-to-energyfacilities and air pollution control projects.

Before joining Wheelabrator, he also spent timein the oil industry in Saudi Arabia, and as aconstruction monitor at an ethanol plant inTennessee. There, he reported to the World Bankand the U.S. Dept. of Energy, which provided loanguarantees on this experimental, yet successful,technology.

Anderson was hired by Wheelabrator in 1985,serving as project engineer on the originaldevelopment and construction of the Claremont,N.H., Bridgeport, Conn., Lisbon, Conn., and FallsTownship, Penn., facilities.

As project manager of Wheelabrator’s ashmanagement research and development program,Anderson managed various research projects. In1995, he was appointed general manager ofWheelabrator’s IPS division, a biosolidsmanagement company. Subsequently, he wasappointed director of engineering of Wheelabrator’sformer BioGro division in Annapolis, Md., and thenproject manager on the initial phase ofWheelabrator’s Putnam, Conn., ash landfill project.

Appointed manager of projects in 1998 anddirector of engineering in 2009, Anderson hadmanaged the design and construction of the air-pollution-control retrofit projects, including somemajor plant rebuilds, that Wheelabrator conductedpursuant to the revisions in the Clean Air Act. Since2005, he has witnessed a resurgence of interest inthe waste-to-energy industry and has dedicatedmuch of his time to those pursuits.

Wheelabrator Director of Engineering Roger Anderson earned a national green building certification.

Wheelabrator Director of Engineering earns national recognition

Wheelabrator Broward News Fall 2009 — 3

BY MEAGHAN CASEY

Nearly two decades ago, Amelio Mendezjoined the start-up team at Wheelabrator SouthBroward, unsure of what the future would hold.Today, many would call him the heart, soul andface of the plant.

Mendez was hired in October 1990. Prior tojoining Wheelabrator, he had 13 years of powerplant maintenance experience. He admits he knewlittle about the concept of waste-to-energy prior totaking on the position.

“I understood the basic principles of the power-plant industry, (and) just knew the fuel would bedifferent,” he said.

Mendez served as a mechanic until 1995, whenhe was promoted to maintenance lead. He wasthen promoted to maintenance planner in 2001. Inthat role, he is responsible for laying out routineschedules and plant activities for the day andplanning for special projects and outages.

“What I enjoy most is the people,” saidMendez. “All you have to do is ask for help andpeople are willing to step up and share their ideasand communicate with you. That makes my jobeasy.”

Naturally personable, Mendez also enjoys

giving plant tours on a regular basis.“The kids are the most fun,” he said. “They’re

our future, so teaching them about waste-to-energy and what we do here is rewarding.”

Donning yet another cap, Mendez is also headof the plant’s Safety Committee. In that role, he isin charge of leading safety meetings and elicitingideas for improvement from his fellow employees.

“I’m a staunch supporter of safety, and I thinkall of us share a commitment to that,” he said.“This wouldn’t work if it was just management-driven. It has to come from the front-lineworkers.”

After almost 20 years, Mendez has noticed ashift in the company-wide safety culture – for thebetter.

“When I first started, Wheelabrator had a verygood safety program – better than most powerplants,” he said. “But as the years went on, there’sbeen an even stronger push to make safety the No.1 priority. Now, the safety culture has made us abetter, more productive plant. The amount of workthat used to take us 10 days can be done in less.”

A native Texan, Mendez resides in Sunrisewith his wife of nearly 40 years, Maurine. Theyhave two children and four grandchildren.

Mendez is an original at

Wheelabrator South Broward

Firmly planted Nez feels great loyalty to

Wheelabrator North Broward

Jim Nez has been working at Wheelabrator since 2000.

Amelio Mendez has been at Wheelabrator South Broward plantfor 19 years.

Employee

spotlights

BY MEAGHAN CASEY

Jim Nez knows loyalty. A retired Navy aviation structural mechanic,

Nez was trained under the motto, “not self, butcountry.” Today, he recognizes that same senseof allegiance among his fellow employees atWheelabrator North Broward.

“There’s a strong sense of loyalty – loyaltyto each other and to the company,” he said.

Nez, a maintenance mechanic at the NorthBroward plant, was hired as a laborer inFebruary of 2000 for the start-up of theWheelabrator Falls plant in Falls Township,Penn.

“I was working in the area and a few peoplestarted talking about the new plant startingup,” said Nez. “I looked into it, and the idea oftaking household trash and turning it intoelectricity sounded interesting. Plus, itsounded like a good thing for theenvironment.”

Within a month, Nez had advanced from theposition of laborer to mechanic. In March of2004, he transferred from Wheelabrator Fallsto the North Broward plant. Born and raised inPennsylvania, Nez quickly adapted to thewarmer climate following his relocation. Heand his wife have made their home in

Margate, Fla. Nez is a member of theVeterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and theAmerican Legion post in Margate. He servesin the honor guards of both organizations.

As a mechanic, Nez is responsible forroutine maintenance to keep the NorthBroward plant running.

“The goal is to keep productivity at itshighest and downtime to a minimum,” he said.

Nez was also recently named head of theplant’s Safety Committee, along withEnvironmental Health and Safety ManagerNeil Swanson.

“Safety is our highest priority,” said Nez. “Ithink it’s more focused now than ever.”

He credits the company-wide initiative,Safety on Purpose, through which everyemployee is responsible for reportingsomething positive or negative on a dailybasis, ranging from exemplary behavior topotential hazards in the workplace. The goalsof the program are to encourage employees tothink about the positive aspect of safety; toengage and empower employees to worksafely; to have supervisors provide feedbackand suggestions on a continuous basis; and toreward and recognize positive safetyperformance.

4—— Wheelabrator Broward News FFaallll 22000099 Wheelabrator Broward News FFaallll 22000099 —— 5

BY MEAGHAN CASEY

Fifteen years ago, WheelabratorTechnologies’ senior management teamenvisioned a program designed to help fosterenvironmental and social awareness in theyouth of its client communities.

Today, the Wheelabrator Symposium forEnvironment and Education has become thecenterpiece of the company’s communityrelations program and the highlight of manystudents’ academic years.

“I love it,” said Juliet Belovich, a student atWestglades Middle School in Parkland. “Younever know what’s going to happen next withour world, and our biggest challenge is gettingpeople involved and getting them to changetheir mindsets.”

The Symposium, which kicked off inConcord, N.H., in 1994, is a six-monthlearning project in which middle-schoolstudents identify an environmental challengein their community and develop a long-termsolution. They present their findings to a panelof educators, government officials and localcommunity volunteers at the culmination ofthe project each May.

“This company started organizing theSymposium long before green was cool, butevery year the students have come forward,

passionate and driven to make a difference,”said Wheelabrator Vice President ofOperations William Roberts. “You can’t be atthis event and not be impressed with theyouth of America.”

“We’ve seen a varietyof interesting projects,from radon awareness tobeekeeping to graffitiremoval,” saidWheelabrator VicePresident of Public AffairsFrank Ferraro. “They’renot just good students;they’re great students.”

The 15th annual Symposium was held May4-6 at the Crowne Plaza in Sunrise, unitingstudents from 13 different schools in onelocation. Previously, the company organizedregional events in New England, the Mid-Atlantic and the South, following the first fiveyears in New Hampshire.

Among the 130 future scientists andenvironmentalists were Broward Countystudents from McNicol, New River, SawgrassSprings and Westglades middle schools. Fortheir projects, McNicol students initiated aschool-wide recycling program. New Riverstudents worked to restore the beachcommunity at John Lloyd State Park, planting

mangrove seedlings, sable palms, sea oats andnative plantlife to help prevent further beacherosion and to enhance the park’s tree canopy.The Sawgrass Springs team tackled the issueof wildflower conservation. The Westglades

team worked closely with theCity of Parkland to find waysto reduce the use of plasticgrocery bags in favor ofcanvas ones.

The panel of judgesincluded Robin Davidov,executive director of theNortheast Maryland WasteDisposal Authority; Ron

Magill, director of communications at MiamiMetro Zoo; Nina Randall, executive directorof Partners in Education in Broward County;and Melissa Telford, director of developmentat Young at Art Children’s Museum in Davie.McNicol students earned the award for BestOngoing In-House Recycling Project; NewRiver, Best Animal Conservation Project;Sawgrass Springs, Best Water Conservation;and Westglades, Best Community OutreachProject.

In addition to the presentations, the studentswere treated to an awards ceremony anddinner, as well as an activities day including avisit to the Sawgrass Recreation Park for an

airboat tour of the Everglades, and a FloridaMarlins baseball game.

The featured speakers over the course ofthe three-day program were Kent Wallace,director of the physics laboratories at FiskUniversity in Nashville, Tenn., and DisneyImagineer Eric Goodman, who designs andbuilds attractions at Disney’s theme parks.

“From the public speaking to theintroductions they make, every part of thisexperience makes a big impact on their lives,”said Stella Shelby, a teacher at WestgladesMiddle School.

Shelby was honored for her 15-yearcommitment to the program; she was one ofthe first teachers to come on board.

“The support I’ve gotten fromWheelabrator has been the same throughoutthe 15 years,” said Shelby. “We can alwayscount on Linda Sapienza (Wheelabrator’sdirector of community relations) and the plantemployees to go through the steps with us andserve as a sounding board for ideas. What agreat company.”

Participating schools each received $500 instartup funds and a $1,000 donation fromWheelabrator at the conclusion of the event.In addition, students can later qualify to earn afour-year scholarship through Wheelabrator’spartnership with Fisk University.

Broward County hosts Wheelabrator’s 15th annual Symposium for Environment and Education

Going green

From left,Wheelabrator’s Linda Sapienza, Heidi Choateand Frank Ferraro prepare to present awards.

New River Middle School's, from left, Breanne Dasent,Thalia Leary, and Blake Donnelly take questions fromthe judges.

BY MEAGHAN CASEY

Broward County Public Schools’outstanding business partners wererecognized for their efforts at this year’sCommunity Involvement Awards event,presented by Partners In Education.

Among those honored was Wheelabrator,which has been a long-time partner toStephen Foster Elementary School. This year,however, the company received an awardbased on the opportunities it provides tomiddle school students participating in itsannual Symposium for Environment andEducation. Students from McNicol, NewRiver, Sawgrass Springs and Westgladesmiddle schools join teams from across thenation, committing to a six-month learningproject to identify an environmentalchallenge in their communities and develop along-term solution.

Additionally, Wheelabrator’s Browardplants open their doors to students for fieldtrips and tours. In the past, the company hasalso helped to fund and construct SawgrassSprings’ Enviro Classroom, which serves asthe center of the school’s outdoor complex,as well as a greenhouse and hydroponics labon school grounds.

“Wheelabrator is one of the most uniquecommunity partners our school has everencountered,” said JoAnn Cantlupe, magnetcoordinator at Sawgrass Springs MiddleSchool. “Their employees have actuallycome to our school, worked with the studentsand constructed a greenhouse and gophertortoise reserve, along with other projects.”

“Wheelabrator is a shining star of ourbusiness partners,” said Nina Randall,executive director of Partners in Education.“The company works all year round with

these students, investing not only dollars, butemployee time. It’s a wonderful example ofhands-on learning at its best.”

Partners In Education, which began in1983, is the district’s premier school-businesspartnership program. Its main goal is tosuccessfully partner schools with localbusinesses and organizations to mentor ortutor students, provide real-world projects forstudents to solve, sponsor field trips, donateequipment and/or provide career shadowingand internship experiences. The organizationalso funds programs such as Principal for aDay, as well as mini-grants for teachers andconference scholarships.

This year, Partners in Education celebratedthe 25th anniversary of its CommunityInvolvement Awards. The awards werepresented on April 30 at the BrowardConvention Center.

Wheelabrator recognized by

Broward County schools

From left, Stella Shelby, MagnetCoordinator,Westglades MS,Joanne Cantlupe, MagnetCoordinator, Sawgrass SpringsMS, Sally Alvarez, PlantAdministrative Coordinator,Wheelabrator Technologies,Scott McIIvaine, Plant Manager,Wheelabrator Technologies,Christine Flynn, PrincipalWestglades MS,AdelineAndreano, Principal SawgrassSprings MS, Kathrine Hinden,Principal New River MS, LucianaBasile, Controller,WheelabratorTechnologies,Yarei Rivera, PlantAdministrative Coordinator,Wheelabrator Technologies,Barbara Rapoza, ScienceTeacher, New River MS, FelixJackson, Magnet Coordinator,New River MS.

You can’t be at this eventand not be impressed with

the youth of America.

William RobertsVice President of Operations

“

New River Middle School, seated from left, Jade Levy, Lauren Diehl, Breanne Dasent, LinseyCalliste, Blake Donnelly; standing from left, Barbara Rapoza, Heidi Choate, Brittany Fernandez,South Broward Plant Manager Jairaj Gosine, Ian Goyco, Devin Ellis, Carmen Duesler of the JULState Park, Brooke Wade, James Sanderson,Thalia Leary, and Yarei Rivera.

Westglades Middle School, front row from left, Adam Wyman,Alan Wlodarczyk,Jackie Weissman, Rachel Toalson, Genevie Rosier, and Sarah Cooper; back row, fromleft, Stella Shelby, Jamie Luft and Ray Haneski.

Sawgrass Springs Middle School, from left, Linda DeCarlo, Shae Montalvo, David Starr, RachelSecharan, Natalia Ramirez, Gunnar Danielsen, Carly Shooster, Sheli Demry, Ashley Wood,Chiara Kruger, Slava Kayushkin, and Joann Cantlupe.

McNicol Middle School team from left, Lucas Ryan, Micah Bennett, Reynold Urena,Alexa Tapia,Andre Ram, teacher Lara Coronel, Fredrica Coleman,Antonella Rocco,Nelly Martinez, Bismark Peralta, Johanna Bravo and teacher Melissa Goulet.

6—Wheelabrator Broward News Fall 2009

Recycling made easier in Broward County

said Odette Reza-Brown, public educationmanager for Broward County Waste andRecycling Services.

Instead of placing items into separatecontainers, the following recyclable items can allbe placed in the same container (recycling bin orcart): Newspapers, inserts, catalogs, magazines,

junk mail, office paper, soft-covered books, file folders, soda cartons and crushed boxes from items such as cereal, tissues, rice and pasta;

Plastic containers (narrow necks only) such as bottles (without caps or lids) and milk, water, detergent and shampoo containers (without caps or lids);

Glass food and beverage containers, milk/juice cartons and drink boxes;

Aluminum and steel food and beverage containers; and

Cardboard from non-food items such as shipping boxes.

The following items may not be recycled: Rechargeable batteries; Plastic bags; Certain glass products including window

or auto glass, light bulbs, mirrors, glass cookware or bake ware, and ceramics;

Paint and pesticides; Electronic waste and accessories; medical

waste and pharmaceuticals; Household garbage and other waste such

as garden hoses, car parts, furniture, building debris, flammables and small appliances;

Pizza boxes; and Miscellaneous plastics such as toys and

cups.Reza-Brown said the idea is to make it as easy

as possible for county resident to recycle. Shenoted Miami-Dade County switched to single-stream recycling last year and has seen a 50-percent increase in recycling. Reza-Brown hopesfor a similar increase in Broward County, wherethe recycling rate is currently about 24 percent.

To find out if your community is participating inthe new single-stream recycling program, visitwww.broward.org/waste.

mechanic in the Navy, served in theMiddle East, the Caribbean, Spainand Iceland. After 22 years ofservice, Nez retired in 2004 and isnow a member of the Veterans ofForeign Wars (VFW) and AmericanLegion honor guards. He andTravis spoke to local members ofthe VFW to come up with properprotocol.

“I was more than happy to do it,”said Nez. “I wanted to make surethat when we disposed of the flags,we would do so in the rightmanner.”

Nez organized a dress rehearsalthe day before the ceremony.Employees representing allbranches of the service came out toparticipate as members of the honorguard. They included HanifComarcho, Javier Corredor, JimEpsilantis, Caple Malcolm, OscarMarenco, John Moore, Nez,

Roberto Pedrosa, Mark Rafeal andEddie Turner.

The ceremony took place justprior to the startup of the firstboiler, following a successfuloutage. The flags were placed on asheet inside the boiler and covered.Once the ceremonial flag waspassed from employee to employee,Nez placed it upon the white sheetcovering the rest of the flags. Thedetail came to attention and salutedthe flags while employee Rafealplayed “Taps” – a melody that isperformed by the military at burialand memorial services. Nez thenignited the boiler, addressed thedetail and dismissed them.

“It was pretty moving,” saidPlant Manager Scott McIlvaine,who could not be present for theceremony, but has since watchedvideo footage.

“I’ve watched the video over fivetimes, and it still puts a tear to myeye,” said Nez.

RECYCLING: from Page 1 FLAG DISPOSAL: from Page 1

Supporting the community

Wheelabrator is in the business of converting wasteinto energy. But the company also recognizes its job is tobe a responsible corporate neighbor - which is why itsplants support numerous organizations throughoutBroward County.

In April, Wheelabrator sponsored the 14th annualClueless on Las Olas fundraiser, benefiting Partners InEducation, Broward County's premier school-businesspartnership program. The unique murder mystery eventattracted a record-breaking crowd with nearly 500participants and raised approximately $22,000. The 2010ClueLess on Las Olas fundraiser is scheduled for April15.

This past May, Wheelabrator was a grand sponsor of“Masquerade, an Evening in Venice” — a dinner, danceand auction to benefit SOS Children's Villages-Florida.SOS is a foster care community in Coconut Creekallowing siblings, who are typically separated while infoster care, to reunite and maintain their familyconnection. This year's fundraiser brought in more than$325,000 to support the programs and services theorganization provides to the foster children.

“We appreciate Wheelabrator's generous support of the75 children who call SOS Children’s Villages-Floridahome,” said Debbie Levine, the organization's chiefdevelopment officer. “It’s because of them our kids canenjoy the simple things in life, like summer camp andfamily cookouts.”

On Oct. 1, Wheelabrator sponsored a luncheon to

benefit the Davie Emergency Assistance Service Effort(E.A.S.E.) Foundation. The foundation is a non-profitestablished by the business community and residents ofDavie and is run inconjunction with other human-serviceagencies throughout Broward County. The foundationpresented the Humanitarian of the Year Award at theluncheon.

On Nov. 13, recyclables will be transformed intocouture at the annual Recycling Fashion Show, presentedby the Young At Art Children’s Museum. Wheelabratoris a majoy sponsor of the event. Teen volunteers from

will present their creations, made out of candy wrappers,recycled plastic bottles and other materials. Young At ArtChildren’s Museum is a non-profit dedicated toproviding hands-on cultural, educational and artsexperiences for Broward County youth.

This event will serve as a fundraiser to support YoungAt Art’s environmental programs. Outfits created for theevent will also be included in the Recycled Art WearExhibit, which will travel to a variety of locationsthroughout Broward County, providing the opportunityto reach an extended audience.

Wheelabrator actively involved

Front from left, HeidiChoate, Susan Marteland Sally Alvarez ofWheelabrator and LindaBrown of Events, Etc.;back row, MeredithLasher of Six StarEntertainment, NinaRandall of Partners InEducation, MarkWhitney of MangosRestaurant, emcee RicGreen of GreaterPompano BeachChamber of Commerce,Tim Curtin of MemorialRegional Healthcare andLaura Mogilewski of theLas Olas Association.

Wheelabrator disposesof flags properly

Wheelabrator Broward News Fall 2009 - 7

Driver Appreciation Day at Wheelabrator

After a summer of fun and games, thechildren who call SOS Children’s Villages-Florida home were ready to head back toschool – with a little help.

Each year, SOS Children’s Villages-Florida, located in Coconut Creek, holds theBack to School and Ready campaign tocollect school supplies and donations to getthe children ready for classes. Beingprepared for school each day, havingclothes and shoes to wear, and participatingin school activities was once somethingfoster children couldn’t imagine, eventhough they are essential elements of agood education.

“The donations we receive mean ourboys and girls don’t have to worry aboutfitting in with the other kids at school or notbeing able to do their work because they arenot prepared,” says Village CEO JeffZirulnick. “The hope generated from thesimple act of receiving a new backpack,being able to go on a field trip or bringinghome their school pictures is one of thegreatest gifts we can give to our children.”

Generous community support also meansthe SOS Village does not have to worryabout providing the necessities and canfocus on education. Arriving at SOS, mostfoster children are already behind in readingand writing. All the children at SOS receivetutoring twice a week to assess their skillsand provide the tools and help they need tocatch up and move ahead.

In June, three sisters — Casey, Michelleand Kayla — were excited to bring hometheir report cards for the first time becausethey increased their grade-point averagesfrom 1.5 to more than 3.0. Eleven SOS kids— Erice, Barbara, Crystal, William, Ashley,Richard, Melina, Toni, Andrew, Betzy, andDanny — took another step towardfulfilling their dreams when they graduated;eight graduated high school and are movingon to college or trade school, and the othersgraduated from trade schools ready to starta career.

Overall, the programs and support SOSprovides are paying off for the childrenfortunate enough to call SOS Children’s

Villages-Florida home. Eighty-three percentof foster children who grew up at SOS havegraduated high school. The national averageis 50 percent for foster children and 84percent for non-foster children.

Wheelabrator is a long-time supporter ofSOS Children’s Villages-Florida, whichopened in 1993. The company has donatedmore than $315,000, including a $100,000gift in 2002 that endowed one of the 12homes children live in. In addition tosponsoring programs and events,Wheelabrator has a presence on the SOSboard of directors.

SOS Children’s Villages-Florida is hometo up to 75 foster children who have beenremoved from their homes due to abuse,neglect, or abandonment. The SOS Villagesetting allows brothers and sisters, oftenseparated in foster care, to be reunited. Thenurturing and support that SOS providesprepares them to be productive members ofsociety.

For more information or to make adonation, visit www.sosflorida.com.

SouthBroward

NorthBroward

Above, Matt Handal,former North

Broward plant engi-neer (recently

transferred to SouthBroward) works thegrill. At right, Healthand Safety Director

Neil Swanson showshis appreciation for a

Deerfield Beach driver.

At left, Plant ManagerJairaj Gosine offers thanksto driver Edwin Lebronfrom Waste Management(WM) Broward.

Below, from left,WMDade driver Ronald Larry,Yarei Rivera and Joyce Tateof Wheelabrator SouthBroward.

Wheelabrator and communityanswer the call

8—Wheelabrator Broward News Fall 2009

Wheelabrator means business

Davie-Cooper City Chamber members tour South Broward plant

Valerie Moran, right, toured the plant with her children, Mary and Liam.

Guests pose for a photo before taking a tour of the WheelabratorSouth Broward facility. PHOTOS: TODD MCFLIKER

Neil Swanson of Wheelabrator South Browardand Dawn McCormick of Waste Management.

Yarei Rivera, left, and Joyce Tate ofWheelabrator South Broward.

From left,Tony Spadaccia of Waste Management,Davie Mayor Judy Paul and Linda Sapienza ofWheelabrator.

Amelio Mendez, left, and Neil Swanson help a visitor get a good view of the boiler.

Chamber guests get ready to take the tour of theWheelabrator South Broward plant.

From left, Davie-Cooper City Chamber memberMercedes Cobb with Sally Alvarez and VanisaRose of Wheelabrator South Broward.

Neil Swanson shows a guest a close-up viewof inside the boiler.