April 23, 2021 MACOMB, IL – As two in a series of new park benches were unveiled in Macomb Thursday as part of Earth Day, the project is interwoven with partnerships with several Western Illinois University organizations.
Build a Better Block Macomb has spent over a year collecting thousands of pounds of plastic soda bottle caps, donated by local residents. Those caps were then transported to Green Tree Plastics, an Indiana company that recycles them into park benches. A variety of local residents and organizations have sponsored the processing costs for each bench.
There were already two benches in place in Macomb prior to Build a Better Block s most recent round of sponsorships. In late March, the organization announced six benches and a youth picnic table would be arriving in public spaces throughout Macomb. Two of the benches were unveiled at dedication ceremonies Thursday, one in Compton Park, paid for by the New Millennium Corvette Club of Macomb, and one at the Ma