Mar 7, 2024
Bringing new life to old tabs
Through the Sleeman Pick Up the Tab contest, Sleeman Breweries is encouraging everyone to give new life to their aluminum can tabs.
Each year, Sleeman Breweries teams up with the Guelph Storm Hockey Club, Elora Legion Branch 229, the Guelph Community Foundation, and the Sleeman Centre for the Sleeman Pick Up the Tab contest. Through the contest, businesses, non-profit groups, and individuals are encouraged to donate their collections of aluminum can tabs for a chance to win Pick Up the Tab prizes.
The Elora Legion sells collected tabs to a local metal recycling company. Funds from the sale of tabs are then used to purchase wheelchairs and other assistive devices through the Legion’s Tabs 4 Wheelchairs program. These assistive devices are provided at no charge or a reduced cost to community members who need them.
Tab collections are weighed the week before the annual Pick Up the Tab game, and winners with the largest collections get to drop the puck with John Sleeman at the Pick Up the Tab game. Tab donations are also accepted at the game.
The largest tab collections from a local business, non-profit group, and individual are also each awarded prizing including: a $2,000 donation from the Sleeman Pick Up the Tab Fund hosted by the Guelph Community Foundation to a registered non-profit organization of the winner’s choice, and two box seats for the Pick Up the Tab game.
In 2024, just shy of 1,000 lbs of aluminum were donated through Pick Up the Tab. That’s enough to purchase a wheelchair.
This year, the Sleeman Pick Up the Tab game took place on Friday, March 1. Winners of this year’s contest are:
- Largest individual collection: Hudson Cowan - 79.5 lbs.
Donation made to McMaster Children’s Hospital
- Largest collection by a non-profit: Westwood Public School - 138.5lbs
Donation made to UGDSB Learning Foundation to be directed to Westwood Public School
- Largest collection by a business: Pete’s Muffler & Automotive, collected by Eric Huber and Max Da Silva - 45.9 lbs
Donation made to Special Olympics Guelph
At the game, attendees are encouraged to purchase “Chuck-a-Pucks” with all funds going to the Tabs 4 Wheelchairs program. The Chuck-a-Puck winners (the three people who chuck their pucks closest to centre ice) win prizes.
Start your collections now for next year!
Since the Sleeman Pick Up the Tab contest began, the Elora Legion has purchased 250 walkers for use by members of the local community. In the more than 35 years that the Elora Legion has been collecting can tabs, they have raised enough funds to purchase 3,600 wheelchairs.