Expanded Will County textile, shoe collection set for July 13-17

JOLIET -- Will County’s annual textile and shoe collection event, usually held in May, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, July 13, through Friday, July 17, at the County Office Building.

People are invited to drop off unwanted textiles such as clothing, table linens, drapes, blankets, shoes and boots, at a modified event that follows CDC guidelines. For the first time, the collection will also include small useable home goods.

County Executive Denise Winfrey said, “We understand that many people began to de-clutter during the state’s stay-at-home order and need a place to drop off these items. We are glad to be able to offer this service to our residents, with the dual bonus of keeping these items out of our landfill and helping a worthy organization.”

In order to keep all participants and the contractor safe, the collection will be in the parking lot of the County Office Building, 302 N. Chicago St. The contractor, Helping Hands, will set up a truck in the parking lot each day. Donors will set their items on an adjacent table and Helping Hands staff will carry the items to the truck, making the exchange contactless.

Helping Hands is a local thrift store supplier and a global reuse and recycling organization.

As is tradition for the final day of the collection event, WJOL’s morning crew will be on hand Friday, July 17, to give additional encouragement to residents and businesses with items which can be donated.

“Of course, on Friday we open at 5:30 a.m. as the WJOL team begins their broadcast. They have been promoting our 50th Anniversary of Earth Day program since March and this program is one of the many that allows participants to gather points for our raffle prize drawings,” said Marta Keane, Will County Recycling Specialist. The final drawing will be held on Aug. 8.

The event is offered by the Resource Recovery and Energy Division of the Land Use Department. The Land Use Department is led by Director David DuBois and is under the County Executive’s office.

For additional information about any RRE programs, go to www.willcountygreen.com.