A humble bloke with a heart of gold is making a positive change in the small town of Inglewood, collecting a whopping 15,000 cans and bottles a year and donating the proceeds to worthy causes.
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Scruffy, as he is affectionately known throughout the town, east of Goondiwindi, spends three days a week collecting and sorting large bins of empties from the local pub.
He then recycles them via the state's Containers for Change program, which pays 10c per eligible container.
The mechanic by trade has been doing his rounds at the Inglewood Hotel for the past four years, helping support several organisations and schools with funds of up to $1500 per year.
"I like to contribute to the community and it's an opportunity to help keep Australia clean and reduce the amount of waste that ends up on the side of the road or in landfill," Scruffy said.
Recently, he presented local school, St Maria Goretti Catholic School, with more than $1500.
Those efforts did not go unnoticed, as he was invited to share the stage at the weekly school parade to say a few words to the students about recycling and taking care of the environment.
"The school captains gave me a certificate of appreciation in front of the whole school. It was a lovely gesture," he said.
Inglewood Hotel publican Tom Menogue works closely with Scruffy and together they choose which organisations to donate the funds to.
Last year, they presented the refund money to the Inglewood Childcare and Kindergarten, but now they are working towards funding two organisations a year.
"This half of the year, the funds are going towards the Inglewood under 43kg football team," Mr Menogue said.
Scruffy's efforts are a shining example of how individuals can make a difference in their local communities.
Now, with the latest announcement by the Queensland government that it would be extending the Container for Change program to encompass glass wine and spirit bottles, Scruffy believes it will yield a further positive impact on recycling and the environment.
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