HodgePodge Lodge
Have you heard of the HodgePodge Lodge? It’s a Strathcona County pilot project aimed at keeping useable goods out of landfills.
The project is designed to help find a home for items that may not be suitable for recycling or charity donations. Here’s how it works – citizens can bring appropriate items to HodgePodge Lodge. Items must be weighed, and the weights recorded in a record book at the lodge entrance. Volunteers will sort the goods and categorize them for placement within the lodge. Visitors can also browse the available goods and take items that can be of use to them. Items leaving the lodge should also be weighed and the weights recorded before they go out the door.
What’s at the lodge?
There are a wide variety of goods at the lodge – household items, arts and craft supplies, toys, seasonal decor, and much more. I was interested to see items that can be tough to find, like magazines, VHS movies and CDs. You can find a full list of items that are appropriate for HodgePodge Lodge on the Strathcona County Website HERE.
Our Upcycling Project
The girls and I decided to visit the Lodge to drop off some items that we had around the house that might be of use to others. While we were there, we explored to see if we’d be inspired to do some upcycling of our own – and wow, were we ever! Each girl spotted an item that would be perfect for her bedroom. E found a wooden frame containing half a corkboard and half a dry-erase board, while A found was a fabric-covered board with a photo space, pin board and dry-erase board. We also found some accessories, including a jewel butterfly, a bendable dragonfly, a letter A, and a silk flower.
Before and after – Project 1
Baby A wanted to make this half-cork, half-dry-erase board a little more exciting before it could be hung in her room. She painted the frame bright pink and added some blingy jewel and pearl sticker gems that we had at home. In addition to the board, she also found a bright yellow jewel butterfly (top left corner), a white flower, and a bendable dragonfly (bottom right corner) at the HodgePodge Lodge. We added these to the corners along with a couple of bright pink daisies that matched the paint. A strip of tinsel down the middle completed the glittery look! We had some screw-in hooks at home too, which we added to the bottom so that she could hang medals! She’s very excited about the new addition to her bedroom!
Before and after – Project 2
Baby B started with a project that was a lot more complete. She really loved the colourful leopard print and pink ribbon photo holders that were already on this board – but she wanted to cover the big M. We took a quick trip to the craft store and bought a single shiny gold foam sheet that we cut to cover the silver rectangle. She found a wooden letter A at the HodgePodge Lodge. We gave it a new coat of paint and added it to the board too, along with a single pink daisy. The hooks we had at home completed the job, offering a row for medal display. This board will be full of hockey medals and cat photos before we know it!
HodgePodge Lodge
- WHERE: Broadview Ecoservice Station, 101 Broadview Road, Sherwood Park, Alberta
- WHEN: Find the Summer and Winter Hours HERE
- MORE INFO: on the Strathcona County Website HERE
- FEELING CRAFTY? If you love creating, keep an eye on our Weekend Guide! Most weekends you will find art activities in the city!