For almost five years now Wagga teenager William Goldstraw has been using the Return and Earn scheme to give back to the community.
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Now, as an almost 16-year-old, dozens upon dozens of local charities have benefited at the hands of Mr Goldstraw, who accumulates funds through the scheme by avidly collecting bottles and cans.
"I just thought it would be a good thing to do," he said.
At first, putting the "thousands upon thousands" of bottles and cans through the Wagga Return and Earn sites was just a way for Mr Goldstraw to make a bit of pocket money, but when he saw how he could help others, it became a mission.
Mr Goldstraws most recent donation of $500 was made to Wagga Legacy House just last week.
"[The most rewarding part] is seeing peoples smiles," he said.
"Legacy House was kind of surprised, some of them we tell we're coming and some of them, we just show up.
"I chose Legacy because they couldn't really do any fundraising during COVID-19 and I normally pick non-government funded organization's."
But, don't be fooled, at ten cents for each bottle or can, it takes an enormous amount of work to raise funds of those sorts.
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"He halves what he gets, saves half and then donates half," mother Terri Goldstraw said.
"William has a regular set of people who donate to him.
"We put up a post on Williams Facebook page, William's Can and Bottle Charity Collection, and people put their names down and we go to their houses and collect from them."
Mr Goldstraw made his biggest donation last year of about $600 which also went to Legacy House, with his second-biggest donation of around the same amount having gone to PetSmart.
"It depends on the charity, but some he gives a little bit more, some he gives a little bit less," Mrs Goldstraw said.
As for Mr Goldstraw, without the help of his parents and access to the Return and Earn sites, he said the donations likely wouldn't happen.
"I definitely don't think I could do it without Return and Earn," he said.
"And, my parents do a lot of the work," he laughed.
"We do the driving and some of the heavy lifting- but it's a family effort," Mrs Goldstraw added.
Mr Goldstraw said it has also helped him specifically, having access to a major Return and Earn site which is the Vinnies Bulk Container Deposit Centre Wagga.
The centre allows for the Goldstraw's to easily process large collections as opposed to hand-feeding each bottle and can individually through a smaller Return and Earn site.
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