Blog FOUR

Megan Matthews
IDEA- Blog 4
As we are finishing up our group project at the Vermillion Recycling Center, I feel the website is going very well. We went to the Recycling Center and had a few technical difficulties with the computer so we had to come back another day. While we were at the first meeting, we discussed the client contract with Phyllis. She thought the contract looked very good except for one portion of it. The portion of the contract that she was confused about was the portion concerning our safety. Since we were not working at the site and our main project goal was completed at the library, this did not make sense to her. We discussed that our safety was not a concern to her and the only time that we could get hurt was if we tripped over a cat at the center. All of us group members, Kyle, Janelle, and myself, signed the contract after Phyllis and turned it in during class. We set up a time to meet with Phyllis to discuss the final meeting so show her the website and anything else that needed to be done.
The Vermillion Recycling Center group created a website that can be used by the Vermillion community concerning facts and information about recycling. I felt that this is very useful since many of the community members may not know all of the details. During the final meeting, Phyllis looked through the website and was very excited that she would be able to work on it because she understands how to use Front Page. I was happy to hear this because I was concerned that she would not be able to make updates to the website because of Front Page. She will be able to make adjustments to the website when she needs to. After speaking with Phyllis, she told our group that we have been the best group she has worked with regarding the University. I felt honored that she had said that about our group because I feel like we were doing what we needed to do as well as making the project beneficial for Vermillion Recycling.
After working on this project, I have learned a lot about helping a non-profit organization. I feel that this was a positive experience that I can learn and benefit from in the future. I work for non-profit organization in Sioux Falls and I understand the need for volunteer’s and people volunteering their time. I feel that this is important when trying to keep an organization stable because the organization relies on community members to volunteer their time. I feel that the Vermillion Recycling Center is a new project in town so it is hard to know what is needed because it has not been around very long. Since the project is new, not as many community members understand recycling 101. Creating this website made it easy for community members to access recycling related information as well as Phyllis keeping the community members up to date on current issues.

Blog 3

Megan Matthews
IdEA 410
Blog 3
The Vermillion Recycling Center crew did not meet with Phyllis this week. Instead, we worked on the website last week as well as the client contract. We are planning on meeting with Phyllis sometime next week once we get the website published and ready to go. While we were working on the website, we kept in contact with Phyllis by e-mail; she sent us information and pictures that we could use on the website. While working on the website, we had a difficult time figuring out how to publish the site to the web. We are planning on contacting someone who may know how to do this, or trying to accomplish this task on our own. I feel that is the final step in our website building before we have everything checked off. We are planning on finding a time to meet with Mr. Grayson to have him check over the website and see how it looks from an outsider’s point of view. Also, in our next meeting with Phyllis, we will be showing her the website and figuring out what changes need to be made and what else she would like to see on it.
While working on the website, I feel it went very well and it contains sufficient information that the Vermillion community can use to benefit the recycling process. When I first started this project, I was not aware of what can be recycled and what cannot be recycled. It was all very confusing to me, I thought all cardboard was the same cardboard but I soon found out there is a distinct difference in a beer cardboard box, which cannot be recycled and a corrugated cardboard box, which can be recycled. Information like this is presented on the website and I feel that it will be beneficial to anyone that does not know the recycling process of what can and cannot be recycled. On the website, you can find all the information about the recycling routes, what can be recycled and who to contact for any questions.
One way that our group is going to publicize the website is by creating a Facebook Page in which people can become a “fan” of. We will post information about the recycling program along with contact information. On the Facebook Page, we are going to have the website posted so everyone can check out the website. I feel this is a great way for college students to be introduced the website because if the website is just out there on the web, it may be difficult for people to know it even exists. Almost every USD college student has a Facebook account, including people who are not in college but may live in the town of Vermillion; it will be one way to educate the community about the Vermillion Recycling Program. After finishing the website, I hope people take the time to view the website and participate in the curbside program. In conclusion, the website will benefit anyone who would like to learn more about the curbside program and it will be easily accessible for Phyllis to operate the website to make changes.