Residents try out their new bench
Springplace in Lenoir City just got a new addition—and it’s more than just a place to sit. It’s the 100th “Buddy Bench” created through a community partnership that turns plastic waste into something functional and useful.
Since 2019, the Kiwanis Club of Tellico Village has led an initiative that invites elementary school students to collect non-recyclable plastic caps. These caps are then delivered to the Green Tree Plastics company in Indiana, where—for a modest fee—they’re transformed into sturdy, long-lasting benches.
The Kiwanis Club’s involvement goes far beyond just dropping off plastic caps. Once the benches are manufactured in Indiana, club members personally transport them back to Tennessee and deliver them to their final destinations at area schools, park and other community places. When a sponsor is secured, they also attach a custom nameplate to honor the donor. As the program has grown so has support from area businesses and churches–like Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church, which generously sponsored the new bench at Springplace. Because Kiwanis club members already run a commodity distribution program at Springplace, they determined it was the perfect place to install their 100th bench.
Last week, representatives from the church, Kiwanis Club, and Springplace gathered for a short dedication ceremony and afterwards everyone got a chance to try out the new bench, including the Springplace team:
Springplace team (l to r): Rick Yost, Cathie Jackson, Wade Thompson, Stephanie Corum and Brandy Ford
