FPUD given award by school district

FALLBROOK — The Fallbrook Public Utility District (FPUD) received the 2007 Community Cornucopia Award last month from the Fallbrook Union Elementary School District.

The cornucopia, or horn of plenty, is a symbol of abundance. FPUD was given the award as thanks for its staff’s devotion to providing elementary school presentations on protecting local waterways and keeping Fallbrook’s environment clean and free of sewer spills through the district’s grease can decorating presentation and contest.

FPUD staff goes into Fallbrook classrooms and teaches the dangers of pouring cooking oils and grease down the drain. Cooking grease cools and thickens in sewer pipes, causing clogs, backups and, eventually, sewer spills. Schoolchildren help to solve this problem by creating “grease cans.” Staff bring coffee cans into the classroom, along with numerous craft decorations.

Each student makes his own special work of art, then takes the can home to instruct his family on how to use it: keep the decorated can on the counter, line it with a plastic grocery bag and pour the cooking grease into the bag. When the bag is full, it can simply be thrown into the trash.

Fallbrook elementary students have made thousands of grease cans since the program began four years ago.

Board member Don McDougal and Community Relations Representative Noelle Denke attended the June ceremony to accept the award.

“This is but a small way to acknowledge your genuine concern for the children of the Fallbrook Union Elementary School District,” wrote Superintendent Janice Schultz in a letter acknowledging the district.