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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />March, 2010 <br />Volume 4, Issue 3 Gem Lake News <br />Special Interest <br />Articles: <br /> <br />• Gem Lake <br />Scholarship <br />Program <br /> <br />• Get Part of Your <br />Landscaping <br />Paid For <br /> <br />• City News-Page <br />4 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />Upcoming Recycling <br />Dates: <br />March 24 <br />April 7 <br />April 21 <br /> <br /> <br />Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Newsletter Editor <br />The Gem Lake City Council <br />voted to establish a <br />Scholarship Award Program <br />for graduating senior high <br />students at its last meeting <br />on February 23. <br />The program is directed at <br />seniors who live in Gem <br />Lake and plan to go onto <br />college or some other form <br />of post secondary <br />education, such as trade or <br />vocational school. The goal <br />would be to utilize a portion <br />of the city's charitable <br />gambling revenue to <br />encourage post secondary <br />education for a deserving <br />senior. <br />City Establishes Scholarship Program <br />Single Sort Recycling Has Already Had An Impact <br />Gem Lake residents have <br />already noticed an increase <br />in the number of families <br />who are putting their <br />recycling containers out for <br />pick up since the first of the <br />year. This after the City <br />Council instituted a "single <br />sort" program at the end of <br />last year through Waste <br />Management Co. <br />"Single sort" recycling <br />containers, provided by <br />Waste Management to all <br />Gem Lake households, <br />provide one convenient <br />place to deposit all day to <br />day recycling without the <br />hassle of sorting it into three <br />separate piles. <br />The council approved an <br />application form that is now <br />available at local schools. In <br />order to apply, a senior <br />would need to complete the <br />application and return it to <br />school officials with at least <br />two letters of reference from <br />school staff members. The <br />application is due by April 2, <br />2010. <br />The student is asked to <br />provide information on their <br />academic and civic <br />achievements to date, <br />including extra-curricular <br />activities, such as student <br />government, athletics, <br />music, drama, etc. <br />According to Jennifer <br />Klennert, Manager of <br />Community and Municipal <br />Relations for Waste <br />Management, cities that <br />have instituted "single sort" <br />programs have seen their <br />percentage of participating <br />households rise from the <br />dismal 40% range to 75% <br />and higher. <br />Gem Lake's recycling <br />participation has increased <br />at least 20% since the <br />beginning of the year, <br />based on driver estimates, <br />according to Eric <br />Husemann, Public Sector <br />Representative from Waste <br />Management. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />In addition, the <br />application requests <br />information on honors, <br />awards and community <br />and volunteer activities. <br /> <br />School administrators are <br />also asked to fill out parts <br />of the application and <br />rate the student's <br />integrity, maturity and <br />intellectual aptitude. <br /> <br />"We are very pleased to <br />launch this program and <br />hope that it helps a Gem <br />Lake student this year," <br />says Mayor Bob Uzpen. <br />For more information <br />students are encouraged <br />to see their local school <br />counselors. <br /> <br /> <br />"Gem Lake was around <br />50-55% in terms of <br />household participation <br />in recycling before the <br />"single sort" program," <br />says Husemann. "Now <br />our drivers are <br />estimating that has gone <br />up to around 75% <br />already. And, typically <br />we see more increases <br />in participation as people <br />get used to the <br />program."