Helping Ronald McDonald House

Orleans/Niagara BOCES Food Service teacher Mike DeRose gathered soda pop tabs this year to help benefit the Ronald McDonald House in Buffalo.

"My wife used to volunteer there, and it is such an awesome organization helping out families with sick kids and providing them with an affordable place to stay," he said.

Not only did the students at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center collect the tabs, but also people at Errick Road Elementary School.

"My wife came home with 26 pounds of tabs and one of her biggest contributors was the Lysiak family who owns a restaurant. I was really astonished by how much they brought in," said DeRose.

"A lot of people don't know it but the tab of a standard soda can is made of high quality, high-grade aluminum. They can redeem them at a recycling center and get money to help offset the cost of the lodging," he said.

This year, DeRose brought in 139 pounds total, which equals 11 buckets that he used to gather the tabs.

"I think it is a good experience for our students to give back to the community and do something nice for those less fortunate. I think it makes us all feel good," he said.