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   One of the Backus Lions community service projects is the collection of plastic that normally cannot be recycled. This program is sponsored by the Trex company, which has recently renamed their recycling arm from Trex to NexTrex.  Through the NexTrex project, the Lions recycle plastic such as clean plastic wrap, bread bags and plastic bags. For every 500 pounds of plastic collected, they can apply to Trex for a bench. They have received their seventh bench which was recently donated to the Country Garden Center on Hwy. 371 in Backus. That’s 3,500 pounds of plastic that didn’t end up as landfill waste.  

   Gail Ness and Julie Ness have been running the Country Garden Center for around 20 years. They sell roughly 20,000 plants, flowers and shrubs.  They also have some consignment items.  For many of those years, they have been very supportive of community events by donating plants and flowers for decoration or for raffle prizes.  The presentation of the bench by the Backus Lions was a thank you for all their community support.

   Along with their plastic recycling, the Backus Lions hold a variety of sales over the summer to raise money for the various causes they support.  Memorial Day weekend saw the start of the polish stand on Saturday mornings. The stand is in the parking lot at Godfrey’s store. Also, June 2 and 3 they will hold their yearly garage sale at the Church of the Nazarene. Stop in at either event and learn more about the Backus Lions and Lions in general. Remember, “Where there’s a need, there’s a Lion.”

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