The Global Citizenship classes at Hartselle Intermediate have collected pull tabs to help RMH. | Randy Garrison

Randy Garrison

Hartselle Enquirer

Hartselle Intermediate School students have taken the lead on a project to help the Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham. The Global Citizenship Class is collecting the pull-tabs from soft drink cans or any other type of aluminum cans that have a pull type tab to open the can. The money generated from recycling these tabs helps offset the cost of operating the house which helps to provide affordable and safe home away from home lodging for families who travel to Birmingham for medical care at any of the pediatric hospitals.

Stacy Steenson, one the teachers of the elective class at HIS has been neighbors with Charles Rhea of Hartselle, who is well known for his efforts in collecting the tabs for the RMH. She decided this would be a good project for her class and help out Rhea in his work as well.

Steenson thought they might be able to collect 8 or 10 gallons during the school year. The project kicked off September 1 and the class has gotten the entire school involved in this effort.

As of Friday, the school is working on gallon number 12. The students have worked hard to collect the tabs and have collection points throughout the school and even one in the cafeteria so when students purchase an available fruit drink they can save the tabs from the can as well.

Rhea came and spoke to the class Fri., Oct. 9, about the importance of what they are doing and to thank them for their work in helping to collect the tabs. He explained the importance of the RMH and how they benefit families with sick children. He also mentioned that he had taken 1,562,880 tabs to Birmingham this year.

Rhea keeps a tally of all of the tabs he collects and mentioned that it takes 1280 tabs to equal 1 pound. It takes 3 pounds of tabs to fill a gallon zip lock bag, which would equate to 3,840 tabs.