RESOLUTION NO. 910046

Commending Food Barn Stores, Inc. and its President and CEO Mr. Dick Wilson for efforts expended to improve awareness of environmental issues and to encourage the reduction and recycling of waste materials.

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WHEREAS, Food Barn Stores, Inc. announced this week that it had implemented a comprehensive recycling program as a resource for the Kansas City area community; and

WHEREAS, as an integral part of that program "Aware Bear" was introduced as Food Barn's newly created spokesperson on environmental issues--Aware Bear's motto is "Respect Our Environment"; and

WHEREAS, because grocery stores are frequently visited and are conveniently located, Food Barn is providing its numerous store locations as sites for recycling collection bins for products such as plastic and brown paper bags, two and three liter pop bottles (both clear and green) and milk and water jugs. Stores also are offering a canvas tote bag to save paper and will refund five cents each time the tote is used or the customer returns a brown bag to use for their own groceries. Food Barn is also providing educational literature and a list of locations that receive materials for recycling which are not handled at Food Barn Stores; and

WHEREAS, Food Barn intends to do its part in educating the community in the three R's of respecting the environment--reduce, reuse and recycle--and encourages responding to these three basic principles; and

WHEREAS, Aware Bear will play an active and important role in this environmental awareness mission. The new spokesperson is available to the community for public appearances to address environmental issues and to talk about recycling and is prepared to speak at public gatherings, be a participant in parades and help in the education of young citizens by speaking at school assemblies and making classroom presentations; and

WHEREAS, Food Barn's efforts will help promote in the Kansas City area the new spirit of awareness and concern that is sweeping the country and demonstrate that if citizens, companies and communities unite to clean up America, together they can make a difference in the staggering amount of refuse that today is casually tossed away; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

That the Mayor and Council hereby heartily commend Food Barn Stores, Inc. for its substantial efforts to improve awareness of environmental issues and to encourage the reduction and recycling of waste materials and express their wholehearted support of its newly implemented recycling program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Mayor and Council hereby welcome to Kansas City Food Barn's newly designated environmental spokesperson Aware Bear and offer the best wishes and support of the citizens of Kansas City as Aware Bear assumes the important task of speaking out on behalf of the environment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the Council in testimony thereof and that copies hereof be presented to Food Barn Stores, Inc. and its President and CEO Mr. Dick Wilson and environmental spokesperson Aware Bear in token of the appreciation of the Mayor and Council for the efforts put forth by Food Barn and its employees to make Kansas City a better place to live.

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