Outdated phone books to be collected by students

The Carbon County Outdated Telephone Directory program is about to get underway. From Feb. 1 to 19 elementary school students throughout the county will be competing to collect the most phone books.

Participating schools should to sending information home with their students and will be keeping track of how many phone books are brought in. After the program ends the recycling office will pick up the books from the schools.

The five highest collectors will receive an award from the county and a $100 savings bond donated by the Jim Thorpe National Bank and the First National Bank of Palmerton.

In 2009 about 800 students participated collecting 22,681 phone books. Since the program's inception in 1996 over 275,032 phone books have been collected.

For more information contact the county's department of solid waste or your local elementary school.

The office will also give an award to the student who brings in the oldest dated phone book. This book must be kept separate from other books.