What can you do with a pop can tab? Well... you can use it to open a can of pop. You can make a musical shaker. You can make a jingly toy for your cat. Perhaps a necklace? How about some artwork? Or... you can make a wheelchair. What! Make a wheelchair? Wheelchairs don't look like they're made out of pop can tabs. Impossible! Or is it?

Here's how it works:

1. Drink a can of pop (or juice or iced tea or maybe a special drink I haven't heard of).

2. Remove the tab by bending it back and forth or twisting it a little.

3. Pop the tab into a container or bag.

4. Once that bag gets full bring it to a drop-off spot. Most people like to drop their tabs off in the Sick Kids Cafeteria or at Variety Village. If either of those places is too far for you, just call me, Robert (416 487-8029), and I will come to pick them up.

5. When the tabs get to my house, we search through them and remove anything that isn't a pop can tab. You wouldn't believe the things we find—coins, plastic bread tabs, jewelry, garbage, old food (yuk!) and bottle caps. Then the tabs go into plastic boxes that are stored in my garage. When we can't find our bikes, or toboggans or basketballs anymore, we know it's time to fill up the car with those boxes of pop can tabs. We usually have about 1000 pounds (450 kilograms) at that point.

6. Drive to a metal recycling depot. This is a place where you can sell any scrap metal so that it can be melted down and used again. All of the tabs are put in a big metal bin and then weighed. Did you know that there are about 1450 tabs in a pound? The tabs are worth more than the pop cans because they are pure aluminum and don't need to have any paint taken off them. I am usually paid between 60 and 70 cents per pound.

7. When there is enough money it's time to buy a wheelchair.

800 pounds of tabs		Marty Gollan at Stark Iron and Metal. Robert negotiated 65 cents/pound and Marty donated another $10 so today’s total was $556! April 15, 2008.

****"If you are in Newfoundland and Labrador and have been collecting tabs for Robert, please contact Rev. Stephanie McClellan at Fraser Road United Church, Gander, NL (709) 424-6681. She also has a link to an aluminum recycler and will arrange delivery to our depot here in Gander. When she gets enough, they are taken to the dealer and she receives the same price as Robert. The cheque gets written to the Foundation and sent to Robert where it accumulates in the same fashion as his other donations."
***** If you do not live in Newfoundland and Labrador here is what you can do.
Collect the tabs and take them to your nearest scrap dealer. The money (cheque) can then be sent to:
Robert Hampson
132 Chudleigh Ave.,
Toronto, ON
M4R 1T6

Cheques are made out to:
The Robert Hampson Tabs for Kids Fund

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