Press Release
Canadian Mattress Recycling has donated $3000 to Douglas College, creating three financial awards for students enrolled in Business, Environmental Science and Vet Tech programs. The Douglas College Foundation will match the donation for the following years, providing financial aid for a total of 12 students.
Humble Roots
Terryl Plotnikoff, President and General Manager of Canadian Mattress Recycling, spoke of how the Douglas College Self-Employment Program provided the jumpstart she needed to start the recycling facility. Since then, with support from her family and the business community, she has grown the company to service the entire Metro Vancouver region, providing much-needed mattress and furniture recycling services. This year alone, Canadian Mattress Recycling has kept over 5 million pounds of waste from landfills. And just a few months ago, Canadian Mattress Recycling received funding from the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Fund.
About The Awards
As Terryl explains in the Douglas College Alumni Newsletter, “CMR is a woman-founded, woman-owned, and women-led company that got its start when I learned about starting my own business through the Self Employment Program at Douglas College.”
Now, CMR would like to support other people through their own journeys in the world of business.
Environmental science is important too, Terryl explains. “We need [environmental scientists] to help our planet.” That’s why she also created the Environmental Science Award.
As for the Vet Technician Award, she has been a huge animal-lover her entire life. She wanted to be a veterinarian when she was younger.
“That didn’t happen, but my love for animals has never waned,” Terryl says. “I spent many years volunteering at shelters…. It seems appropriate for CMR to support animal-loving students who feel the same way about helping animals in need.”
Learn about the Canadian Mattress Recycling Awards on the Douglas College website.
Paying It Forward
For Terryl, supporting students who show financial need goes hand-in-hand with the philanthropic initiatives taking place at Canadian Mattress Recycling. Most importantly, she says in the newsletter, “I received [several] awards and bursaries that helped me with the cost of my education. Now that I am able to, I would like to return that generosity.”
