Hartwick residents Martha and Paul Clarvoe have joined with the Community Foundation of Otsego County to establish a new fund that will support recycling efforts throughout Otsego County.

The Clarvoes, who have lived in Hartwick since 1980, are long-time advocates for environmental issues, including the importance of recycling. One of their largest recycling efforts was the restoration of a building in Hartwick, reusing many of the materials in the building and using construction methods to ensure energy conservation. They now operate the Freight Wheel Café and My Neighbor’s Closet, which provides free clothing, in the restored structure.

Martha served on the board of the Otsego County Conservation Association for 15 years and was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement award in 2015 for her commitment. “Recycling is important to us,” said Martha. “We have grandchildren, and we want to do all that we can to ensure that they inherit a healthy planet. The fund we established at the Community Foundation is designed to support local efforts to make our world a better place.”

The fund, which was established in February, has already made its first grant to support the expanded-polystyrene recycling program at the Otsego ReUse Center in Oneonta, which is run by the ARC Otsego. “This generous donation will help sustain our polystyrene recycling operations, ensuring we can continue diverting foam waste from local landfills,” said Faith Tiemann, chief marketing officer for the ARC Otsego. “The funding provides critical operational support that enables us to maintain our environmental stewardship efforts and continue offering this valuable service to our community. The Otsego ReUse Center has recycled more than 50,000 pounds of polystyrene since 2019.”

To support the work of the Martha and Paul Clarvoe Recycling Initiatives Fund, click here to donate.