Eighty-Four vehicles came through the gates of the Centra-Sota Co-Op site Saturday morning where volunteers help unload hundreds of pounds of unwanted household items as part of Santiago’s annual clean-up day. 

 

The total was up a little from last year, organizer Shelley Jehoich said. Jehoich had seven volunteers to help run the event.

 

The five-hour event saw guests deliver old tires, appliances, electronics, furniture, bedding items, batteries and scrap metal.

 

Though it was a chilly April morning, the sun was shining and the workers smiled as they helped people unload their vehicles.  A far cry from several years ago when Jehoich and the volunteers had to weather bad weather as storms raged through the area during their annual event.

 

The clean-up event is intended to allow participants to dispose of unwanted items that are not normally accepted by their residential trash hauler.

 

Most items accepted had a cost associated with it. The first four tires (up to 16”) brought in were free — tires 17” to 25” cost $8 each and tractor tires cost $25 each.

 

Microwaves cost the donator $15 per item and air conditioners cost $22 a piece. Gas refrigerators were not accepted.

 

TV’s, computer monitors, etc. were $15 each and console, tube and projection TV’s cost $25 each.

 

General junk cost people $20 per pickup truck load. Large furniture cost $5 each and box springs and mattresses were $10 each.

 

Santiago worked with Jim’s Mille Lacs Disposal Inc. out of Milaca for most of the disposal with Liberty Tire Recycling handling the tires. Midway Iron supplied the three huge dumpsters — two for scrap metal and one for electronics and appliances.

 

“We filled the tire cage,” said Jehoich, who has spearheaded the annual clean-up day since its inception in 1999. 

 

“It was a real good clean-up day.”

 

Regular household garbage, hazardous waste, recyclables and fluorescent light bulbs were not accepted.