Community Cans’ efforts benefit Wauzeka
After Mullikin finished clearing out the dumpster, it was less than half full. Aluminum cans are redeemed once a year, with the money going back to the community, while plastics, cardboard and glass are recycled.
Mike Mullikin pictured next to the public dumpster at the ballfield in Wauzeka. After separating plastic, glass, aluminum and cardboard, the dumpster went from overflowing to less than half full. (Steve Van Kooten/Courier Press)
By Steve Van Kooten
Before you can have a dollar, you have to have a penny.
That is part of Mike Mullikin’s philosophy, and his efforts have paid off for Wauzeka, where the Community Cans program has taken discarded aluminum cans and turned them into money for the community.
Community Cans redeemed 7,820 pounds of cans in March 2024, which put almost $4,000 back into Wauzeka. Over the past three years, the nonprofit has raised approximately $10,000, and all of it has gone back into the community.
“This year, we donated $1,000 to the school sign project, $500 to the janitors because of the good work that they do, $500 to the technical education program and $320 to the post-prom,” Mullikin said. The rest of the money went to the local fire department, first responders and veterans memorial. “My goal is to spread it out. Not everyone is into sports, but if they see it is for the fire department or the memorial, maybe they’ll say, ‘I’ll throw in a can or two.’”
Mullikin is a hands-on type of guy. He drives his truck through Wauzeka to pick up cans, sort out recyclables from garbage after events and maintain the Community Cans recycling areas. Every can makes a difference; you don’t get to $4,000 without the five cents from each pop or beer can.
“People don’t realize that it’s like a penny: it may not look like a lot on its own, but if you’ve got 100 people putting in a penny each, it accumulates fast,” Mullikin said. “By having these cans, we make money.”
Along Wisconsin 60, as vehicles enter Wauzeka from the south, Community Cans has one of their drop-off locations. Mullikin also helps businesses and event grounds salvage recyclable materials. He is not only interested in cans; he also takes out plastic and cardboard to decrease the amount of trash going into landfills.
At the Wauzeka Village Park, Mullikin went to a dumpster, where he had eight bags of plastic, four glass jars and eight bags of aluminum cans on the ground next to it. The dumpster was less than half full.
“I bet you, seven or eight years ago, I would’ve come down here, and that thing would’ve been full instead of separated out. This is what we had after a four-day tournament. Normally, this thing would be completely full,” said Mullikin. Recycling can save money by reducing the number of times public dumpsters need to be emptied.
Mullikin makes money for Wauzeka from the can redemptions, but it’s not all about adding up those pennies into dollars. The health of the environment motivates him to separate the discarded plastics and conserve the use of plastic bags as well.
“I keep seeing those oceans of plastic and roads with plastic everywhere,” he said. “Those bags sit in the garbage for years. The plastics just don’t deteriorate.”
Microplastics have become a paramount concern, even in southwest Wisconsin. Agencies like the Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Environmental Protection Agency have established regulations to mitigate contamination from plastic byproducts.
Mullikin wants people to be aware and educate themselves about recycling and plastic use, both to make the process simpler and more accessible to use and to make it a habit.
“If we instill this in people when they’re young, it will come naturally,” he said, “but as adults, we have to teach it too. We have to start at young ages so that they naturally throw [a can] in the right place. It’s going to be a big education effort.”
Mullikin sends cans to L & M Salvage in Richland Center each year in March. In 2025, Mullikin has an ambitious goal.
“Our goal this year is to get over 10,000 pounds,” he said.
So, if you have a bag of cans in your house or an empty one in your hand at the ball game, make sure you throw it into the right receptacle. Remember: to get a dollar, you need a penny first.
From Community Cans
Attention Concession Stand Vendors: Join us in our mission to be environmentally responsible and support our community by switching from plastic bottles to aluminum cans! You can lower plastic waste and help us raise community funds. They even make aluminum cans with screw tops for convenient use.
Let’s “Can-quer” the Challenge: 10,000 pounds.
