August 14, 2019

Wolfe Eye Clinic Entices Iowa State Fair-Goers to Recycle

Every Iowan's favorite time of year, the Iowa State Fair. A week and a half of laughter, music and fried food. In 2018, the Iowa State Fair partnered with Wolfe Eye Clinic to kick off the year with a brand new recycling initiative that landed them second place at the International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) Annual Convention. As a way to give back to Iowa and help keep recycling top of mind, Wolfe Eye Clinic proudly sponsored the recycling program in 2018 and will continue our support in 2019, in honor of our 100-year anniversary. 

Iowa has been home to Wolfe Eye Clinic since 1919, and since day one, hundreds of thousands of Iowans have trusted their eyes to our specialists. Wolfe Eye Clinic serves patients across the state, partners with local optometrists and referring medical providers, and gives back to the communities that support them whenever they can. This partnership with the Iowa State Fair is one that helps keep Iowa green by enticing fair-goers to recycle their plastic bottles and cans instead of throw them away. "This is a great opportunity to thank Iowa, support our state's legendary fair and give back in honor of Wolfe's anniversary. One hundred years is a long time to be around and we certainly want to help Iowa stay green for another 100 years," Kevin Swartz, Wolfe Eye Clinic CEO. 

As part of the initiative, the Iowa State Fair adopted bottle-shaped recycling containers to stand out from standard trash containers. Wolfe Eye Clinic then dressed them up with Iowa-themed covers catching the attention of more fair-goers than ever before. In 2018, 40% of bottles sold at the Iowa State Fair were placed in the recycling containers. According to Iowa State Fair representatives, judges at the recent IAFE Annual Convention in 2018 left comments such as:

"Recycle programs can be boring! However, your new sponsor [Wolfe Eye Clinic] and your plan made it interesting. To accomplish 40% of bottles sold to end up in your recycle big bottles is quite amazing. Educating the masses on a recycle program is so necessary. Not everyone could pull this off but it looks like you did it right."

So Iowa State Fair enthusiasts, keep your eyes out for Wolfe Eye Clinic recycling containers when you have a bottle or can you need to toss. Together, we can give back to this beautiful state and help "see Iowa greener."