PTC's Ever Green Club brings holiday light recycling to Pine Area

The Pine Technical College student-run Ever Green Club has partnered with the Recycling Association of Minnesota to bring holiday light recycling to the Pine Area. Pine Area residents now may drop off their old holiday lights just inside the main entrance of Pine Technical College (look for the labeled box) now through the end of January, 2010. At that time, RAM representatives will pick up the lights and handle recycling.

"We heard about RAM establishing and growing a holiday light recycling program, and we wanted to be a drop-off site," said Heather Hanson Mead, Pine Technical College Ever Green Club President. "This kind of project is exactly what the Ever Green Club is all about," Mead added.

RAM, headquartered in St. Paul, is an association of recyclers around the state. RAM's Holiday Light Recycling Program is new, and drop-off sites are scattered around the state in Carlton, Duluth, Ely, Hutchinson, Mankato, Redwood Falls, St. Cloud and more. RAM announced they have collected and recycled 15,000 pounds of holiday lights since Dec. 3 this year.

Thanks to the efforts of PTC's Ever Green Club, Pine Technical College is the official collection site in Pine City for holiday lights recycling.

"I'm so happy students are getting involved!" said Ellen Telander, Executive Director of RAM.

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UPDATE: The holiday light recycling program came to a close at the end of Jan., and the PTC Ever Green Club collected more than 350 pounds of lights in just four weeks. After turning in this large amount from the Pine Area to RAM, RAM in turn recycled more than 50,000 pounds.

"Thanks to everyone who participated in the first Holiday Lights Recycling Program," Mead said. "We will make plans to do this again next holiday season," Mead added.

PTC students donate to Pine City Food Shelf

Pine Technical College Student Senate leaders packed up 1,000 pounds of non-perishable food items collected from students, staff, faculty and community-minded citizens and delivered it to the Pine City Food Shelf today, bringing the 2009 food drive to a close.

Student senate officers initiated the food drive in Oct. 2009, and food items have been stocked in the Student Senate Office since then.

"This is the biggest food drive we've ever held," said Amanda Spencer, PTC Student Senate Vice President. "The Pine Technical College community is happy give to the local food shelf that will help those who are less fortunate, especially during the holidays," Spencer added.


Above: Donated food items fill up a trailer at Pine Technical College.


Above: Pine Technical College Student Senate Officer Dusty Leis shows off the full trailer of donated food items.


Above: Pine Technical College Student Senate officers Amy Smyser, Dusty Leis and Jessica Houghton stand before the fully loaded trailer of donated food items.

Robot debuts in PTC machine lab

The machine lab at PTC has a new resident -- a FANUC System R-30iA Mate, a six axis robotic arm with vision guidance, which allows the arm to locate parts in a production setting. The robot was purchased through a grant PTC was awarded by the Department of Labor, and in addition to being a useful addition in the machine lab, it serves as part of a traveling exhibit that showcases manufacturing careers.

"This is a top-of-the-line machine. It will be used for training and to load and unload parts in a machine such as a lathe or mill," says Dave Defenbaugh, PTC Gunsmithing Instructor. "It can be set up with a welding head, grippers and/or set up with magnets, suction cups and more," adds Defenbaugh.

Defenbaugh says most robots are four-axis machines, whereas the new PTC robot is a six-axis machine. "So, it performs like our own arms, wrists and hands," Defenbaugh explains.

For a video demonstration, visit www.fanucrobotics.com.


Photo: PTC's new FANUC System R-30iA Mate in the machine lab.

Financial Aid and Career Info Night, coming Dec. 7

Have questions about Financial Aid? Don't know how to do the FAFSA? Don't know what a FAFSA is? Not sure what you want to be when you grow up? If this sounds like you... You need to come to "Financial Aid and Career Info Night!" The event will give you guidance and help from PTC's excellent staff and faculty regarding Financial Aid and rewarding careers that are just right for you.

Part I: "Financial Aid Info and FAFSA Help"
-- Date: Mon. Dec. 7
-- Time: 5 to 6 p.m. -- Place: PTC, Room 100

Part II: "Career Info"
-- Date: Mon. Dec. 7
-- Time: 6 to 7 p.m. -- Place: PTC, Room 70

For more information, call 320-629-5100.

Congratulations to three "Bravo Award" winners!

Congratulations are in order for three Pine Technical College staff members: Tom Melin, Information Technology, Steve Lange, Director of Facilities, and Dave Pixley, Facilities. Each was nominated for the monthly "Bravo Award" by anonymous coworkers.

Says the nominator of Melin, "Tom is always here ASAP when we need him, and he goes above and beyond to help us with our IT needs. Most recently, when the Student Affairs office was reconfigured, he not only got things done quickly but had great advice in how we could arrange things efficiently. He even moved the heavy stuff for us!"

Says the nominator of Lange and Pixley in Facilities, "Steve and Dave not only helped with the new layout of the office, but both were an integral part in the design and getting it done! Again, the PTC maintenance crew is always there ASAP, especially with things that involve helping our students."

Lange is awarded with the "Employee of the Month" premier parking space during the month of December.


Photo, L to R: Lange, Melin, Pixley.