Lexington’s Share Fair collects lightly used school supplies to keep waste out of landfills

(ABC 36 NEWS NOW via LEX NEWS) – Lexington is using its Electronics Recycling Center for a different kind of recycling initiative — collecting lightly used school supplies to redistribute to students and teachers ahead of the next school year.

The city’s second annual Share Fair allows residents to drop off children’s school supplies they no longer need so other students and teachers can use them.

Lizzie Barrick, the city official who came up with the idea, said the program accomplishes two goals: reducing waste and easing the financial burden that school supply lists can place on parents and teachers.

“When I came into this role with the city, I was thinking about keeping waste out of the landfill whenever possible, so I connected the dots,” Barrick said.

“This time of year, people are doing spring cleaning and have items still in great condition that they no longer need that they can offer to other students,” Barrick said.

“Elementary school students are moving up to middle, and middle to high school, and have items they no longer need that they can offer to other students,” Barrick said.

“I think with everything going on it continues to be a need,” Barrick said.

The program accepts the following lightly used items:

• Binders
• Backpacks
• Notebooks
• Cleaning wipes
• Dry erase markers
• Pencil cases

Supplies collected during this drop-off period will first go to Lexington Middle School. Any remaining items will be distributed to other schools in the area.

Residents can drop off supplies through June 22 at the Electronics Recycling Center at 1306 Versailles Rd. Drive to the back of the parking lot toward the shipping dock area and look for garage #7 and the box labeled “Share Fair.”