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Community Corner

61,000 books change hands at annual Will County Land Use event

     JOLIET – Donna Stuertz of Casey traveled 200 miles to attend the Will County Land Use book recycling and document destruction event at the Joliet Park District’s Pilcher Park Friday-Sunday, June 6-8.

     Her mother, Zelda Bishop of Lockport, “kept telling me about it.” Last year, when she called her mom to say she wanted to visit, Bishop told her it was the weekend of the book event.

     “This year, she told me,” Bishop said with a laugh. “I just love this weekend.”

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     No e-readers for them, both women love to read a real book. Last year, as they plan to this year, they will read the books they’ve chosen, then switch and read each other’s.

     Then next year they’ll bring them back. Bishop said she brought four boxes and bags of books to this year’s event.

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     “I read everything,” said Stuertz. “It doesn’t matter.”

     The annual book event offers a lot of  “everything.” Categories include fiction, non-fiction, children’s, romance, hobby, travel, health and living, religion, textbooks and cookbooks.

     This year, about 61,000 books changed hands, said Tim Anderson, Senior Waste Analyst with the County Land Use Department’s Resource Recovery and Energy Division, up about 6,000 from last year’s 55,000.

     There were so many children’s books on opening day, that for the first time they had to open a second children’s literature room.   

     About 9,000 books were recycled, about 2,000 of which were law books from the Will County Courthouse, bringing the total to 70,000 books that were handled by staff this year. Books were also donated by schools, libraries and individuals.

    In addition, document destruction was offered. Residents could bring confidential documents to a secure container onsite for destruction. About 6,000 pounds were collected and shredded.

     The next book event, co-sponsored with the Joliet Park District, will be June 5-7, 2015.

     The Land Use Department is led by Director Curt Paddock and is under County Executive Larry Walsh’s office.

    For additional information about Resource Recovery and Energy Division projects, go to www.willcountygreen.com.

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