Mary Hardin-Baylor’s volleyball and football teams are participating in a recycling project this year that will result in the donation of several thousand plastic bottles to a local charity.

The football team is collecting empty sports-drink bottles every day after practice, then the volleyball team removes the labels and cleans the bottles before delivering them to the Helping Hands ministry in Belton, Texas.

The ministry uses the bottles to distribute laundry detergent to needy families. The teams are providing about 225 bottles per day to the organization.

“We wanted to help the department recycle and go ‘green’,” said volleyball coach Kecia Davis. “But this also was a way for us to help out the community. Not only are we cleaning the bottles and taking them to Helping Hands, but we will also spend one day a week helping out at the center before our afternoon practice.”

The program will continue at least through the Crusaders’ first home football game of the season September 12. By then, nearly 5,000 bottles will be delivered to Helping Hands.