We started recycling unused medals for a local race director in 2016, and grew from there!
We are a group of athletes that regularly fundraise for donations to participate in charity endurance events such as half marathons, marathons, and bike rides. We saw that local and regional race directors had boxes of unclaimed or extra race medals (from either over-ordering or from weather-related event cancellations), and were just throwing them out. We also heard from people who had sports or academic medals that they had collected over the years and no longer wanted. They were looking for something they could do with them instead of throwing them in the trash.
Rather then letting all these extra and unwanted medals go to landfills, we work with a local scrap metal company to get these medals recycled.
We also work with local textile recycling to get any ribbons recycled (the ribbons are shredded and become insulation, carpeting or other textile products).
We bring any plastic bags, bubble wrap, paper, and cardboard packaging to appropriate facilities to get recycled.
We’ve helped reduce the environmental impact of road races, while raising money for race-related charities that we care about. We have recycled over three tons of sports and academic medals and ribbons to date!
All proceeds go to the fundraising goals we have for charitable athletic events that we would normally ask friends, family members or businesses for donations for. If we’re not currently fundraising for something, we’ve donated to others.
We have made donations (either participating ourselves or to others fundraising) to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (through Bike MS), My Team Triumph, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (through Team in Training), Team Lupus (through a Boston Marathon charity entry), Dragon Master Foundation, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Give Kids the World Village, The Alzheimer’s Association, and more.
We welcome individuals, groups, race directors and event organizers to send in sport and academic medals. There is no charge to recycle with us. We welcome to you send in extra, unused, or no-longer-wanted medals from any sport, including: road races, triathlons, obstacle course events, skiing, rowing, swimming, volleyball, wrestling, baseball, rugby, skating, kid’s races, bike rides, 5Ks, 10Ks, age group awards, mud runs, fencing, relays, cheerleading, senior games, virtual races, collegiate medals, etc. Bottle opener or key chain medals are welcome! Academic medals are welcome too! We have processed medals for honor societies, reading awards, etc. NO TROPHIES OR PLAQUES PLEASE.
We are an all-volunteer team. Our expenses are the cost of our shipping PO Box and our website hosting. No one on our team receives financial compensation for our activities (including record keeping, tax filing, or website maintenance).