A Shelby County resident can now add children’s author to her many titles. Sally Weihs, co-operator of R&S Waste Systems in Defiance, wrote a children’s book called “Big Blue Goes Green,” to help educate children on the correct way to recycle. She previous wrote a cookbook 10 years ago. Weihs says the book offers a couple of lessons. She says it’s a lesson on recycling and friendship. “Big Blue” goes to the landfill and meets “Rita Recycler,” who teaches him how to lighten his load, by recycling.  

The book shows children what plastics and glass can be made into. Weihs says being in the business, she wanted to help kids understand the correct way to recycle. She says “There’s a lot of recycling out there and kids want to do it, so she decided to write a book on how to do it and do it right. Sally, along with her husband Ron have been in the recycling business at R&S Waste for 35 years. She says her family influence helped name the trucks in the book. She says she named her “Rita” because that was her husband’s mothers’ name. The name “Big Blue”  because her oldest grandson would yell “Here comes big blue,” whenever he saw their recycling truck coming down the road.  The family influence didn’t end with naming the trucks, as her nephew Bryan McCoy, who is studying at Iowa State to become a cartoonist, did the illustrations for the book, which is available for purchase in the office at R&S Waste Systems in Defiance or online at www.authorhouse.com. 

The profits from the sale of the book will go to “Teen Challenge of the Mid-lands.” Weihs says TCM is  a faith-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation program for all ages. She chose them because they are totally non-profit and receive no government aid at all. For more information on the book, contact Weihs at 712-748-3471.

(Courtesy Joel McCall/KNOD – Harlan)