January 12, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Shelton-Mason County Journal
By NATALIE JOHNSON
Owners of Mason County busi-
ness Wilson Recycling have long
prided themselves on being able
to recycle just about anything.
On Saturday, the company's
employees added airplanes to
their repertoire, said David Bak-
er, executive director of Wilson
Recycling.
The Port of Shelton signed a
lease in July with Aero Controls
Inc. for 1 square acre on Sander-
son Field in order to strip down a
Boeing 737 for salvageable parts.
When they were done, Wilson
Recycling employees moved in
to do the rest - strip down the
airplane's outer shell for an esti-
mated 25,000 pounds of reusable
aircraft-grade aluminum, Baker
said.
Baker said as soon as Wilson
Recycling staff found out about
the project, they wanted to be a
part of it.
Wilson Recycling demonstrated
their recycling credentials as an
established recyling company to
Aero Controls, which gave them
the chance to salvage the alumi-
num from the plane.
"Now we're officially on a list
W:
a
~0:
ab
Ba
th,
cli:
m(
Harstine Island COmmunity Clul
of the club's Inquiring Minds lee
Lecture series
[] []
returns to island
By NATALIE JOHNSON
Grab your calendars - the
fourth season of the Harstine
Island Community Club's In-
quiring Minds series is set to
kick off at 2 p.m. on Sunday,
Jan. 29, at the Harstine Island
Community Hall.
Island resident April Han-
sen is helping get the word out
on Inquiring Minds' exciting
fourth season.
Hansen helped the last two
years with the planning for In-
quiring Minds. This year, she
said, community club members
voted on the speakers.
"We all help to decide what
presenters there are," she said.
Hansen became involved
with the Harstine Island Com-
munity Club not long after she
moved to the Island four years
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
Llson Recycling used a 20-ton backhoe on Saturday, Jan. 7, to rip apart the exterior of
]oeing 737 in order to recycle the aircraft-grade aluminum.
the airline industry ... to be Less than three hours into the "This is aircraft quality. It's
to do this kind of project," project, at 10 a.m., the plane was probably going to be put back to
ker said. down to just its wings, another plane," Baker said. "As
3even crew members, nearlyThe bits and pieces of the planes come out of service this is
entire staff of Wilson Recy- 20-year-old 737 will be sent to a the kind of thing that happens to
~g, turned out early Saturday facility that will shred and melt them."
rning to tear the plane apart, the aluminum down to be recast. The crew of Wilson Recycling
saw firsthand just how strong an
airplane's shell really is.
The company used a 20-ton
backhoe to tear open the wings,
and even as the backhoe balanced
on the wing, it wouldn't flex.
Crewmembers eventually had
to strip the wings with high-pow-
ered saws.
"You know they're strong but
you don't think of it in terms of
a 20-ton machine crawling on it,"
Baker said.
Baker said he's not yet sure how
much money the 25,000 pounds
of aluminum salvaged from the
plane will yield for the recycling
company.
"There's a misconception about
how valuable it really is," he said.
Baker said aircraft aluminum
is worth less than copper or brass,
but more than steel.
Baker said it feels great to be a part
of the statewide aircraft industry.
"For me as someone who has al-
ways pulled cans out of the trash
because they don't belong there -
to be involved with this is really
gratifying," he said.
Wilson Recycling staff mem-
bers said they hope to be involved
in more projects like this in the
future.
member April Hansen
ture series.
[]
ago.
"I out there and knew
a few who were involved
with ,~he,,,~ Women's Club," she
said. '~t's a nice community. It's
a comfortable place to live."
Vol mteering with her com-
munit 7 is nothing new for her,
Hanse n said.
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
is helping spread the word about the fourth year
"I was pretty much raised to The Inquiring Minds pro-
volunteer - you give a little bit gram, sponsored by the Harst-
back to your community." ine Island Community Club,
Hansen's husband is a re- prides itself on bringing quality
tired firefighter, and the two of speakers to Mason County. The
them are still involved in neigh- community club uses Humani-
borhood watch and the Citizens ties Washington as a resource
Emergency Response Team
(CERT):
Don't forget
the plant sale
Every year the Mason Conserva-
tion District promotes the use of
native plants in an effort to help
sustain the waters in our county. They
offer qual:ity bare-root and small pot-
ted plants at reasonable prices. They
are taking orders for their 22nd annual
plant sale now through Jan. 20. The
plants are all suitable for conserva-
tion purposes such as wildlife habitat,
stream bank stabilization and storm
water management. Most of the plants
come in bundles of five. For example
you can get 12-inch to 18-inch bare
root grand firs for $6.75. I'm planning
on getting a bundle of 18-inch to 36-
inch bare root paper
birch for $8.50. They
have Douglas fir,
Oregon Ash, Pacific
Dogwood, Snowber-
ry, Vine Maple and
much more. You can
contact the Con-
servation office at
427-9436 and ask
By MIKE about ordering if you
CALLAGtIAN don't have an order
form. The way it
works is you order now and pick the
trees up Feb. 24 and 25 at their of-
rice. As I'm always encouraging island-
ers to plant trees with fall color, I'm
• thinking the paper birch will do the
trick.
The Women's Club has already
had their first meeting of the new
year. I don't know, it just doesn't
seem right that things are moving so
quickly. You'd think we would at least
have a week or two to relax and let
the year begin slowly. Kathy Bykerk
again shared her minutes with me,
thanks Kathy. Linda Van Langing-
ham decorated the tables with boxes
of table games, which gave the room a
look of fun, and games. President Patti
Chapman called the meeting to order
at 12:20 p.m. and it was kept short in
order to have more time for bingo and
the exchange of white elephant gifts.
Pam Wood provided donuts for the
bingo players. Marlene Echaniz won
the door prize.
There were two pieces of correspon-
dence to read. A thank you note from
the Mason County Literacy for Wom-
en's Club donations taken up at the
November meeting and another thank
you for the donation made to the musi-
cal group, "All Strings Attached," who
played during their Holiday Luncheon
in December.
Jennifer Meier has volunteered to
See Minds on page B-2 See Harstine on page B-2
Thursday, January 12, 2012 - Shelton-Mason County Journal- Page B-t