December 13, 2021
In November, every student at Sebring Local Schools received a hooded sweatshirt, emblazoned with the logo of Danny’s Cans, a nonprofit organization that carries on the legacy of Officer Danny Guy, the district’s former School Resource Officer.
Officer Guy began serving the district in 2013, and when he was on bicycle patrol, he would collect discarded cans as he rode through town. He recycled the cans, cashing them in for funds to help the children in the community.
With the help of friend Bryan Bailey and Tom Stryffeler, Officer Guy’s project grew. Friends contributed cans, and the group turned them into something priceless for Sebring students.
His position in the schools gave him a first-hand look at the needs of the children in the Sebring community, and fueled his passion for the project. Recycled cans funded a number of student needs, from purchasing clothing or toys to taking the patrols to a baseball game.
“It’s all about the kids,” he’d say as he collected and recycled cans. And when he passed far too soon in January of 2018, Bailey, Stryffeler, and others who saw the impact of Officer Guy’s compassion and service, began to recycle cans and continue Danny’s legacy through ‘Danny’s Cans.’
Since September 2020, community members and businesses have rallied to collect cans, offer donations, and provide other support to Danny’s Cans. Partnerships have sprung up throughout the community, with Sebring American Legion, Alliance American Legion, Salem Eagles, Brickhouse, Log Cabin and Royal Star Diner collecting cans that are then recycled by the group. A trailer at the Royal Star Diner on S. 15th Street in Sebring collects can donations brought by community members for the project.
Carpenter Metals Sales offers Danny’s Cans a premium rate for the cans it brings for recycling. Additional funds are provided through community donations and fundraisers.
In just over a year, the organization has made a visible impact in the Sebring community.
Solar powered stop signs near the cross walks by B.L. Miller Elementary School are a bright, flashing example of the organization’s reach. These stop signs were recently installed thanks to donations provided to Danny’s Cans by the Sebring Class of 2007. The $3,003 project was funded in memory of classmate Stefan Guy, the son of Officer Guy, who passed away from a tragic car accident in April 2021.
The organization also sponsored a $500 scholarship for a student from the Sebring McKinley Class of 2021.
And now, the halls at B.L. Miller and McKinley are flooded with students proudly displaying the purple sweatshirts given to each student bearing the Danny’s Cans logo and motto, “It’s all about the kids” on the front, and a golden Trojan mascot on the back. The sweatshirts were fully funded by the Danny’s Cans organization and printed by the organization’s supporter and printing partner, Carver Screen Printing.
These gifts are just a handful of the blessings that Danny’s Cans has provided for the community. The organization includes individuals that work within each of the school buildings, who provide insights as to what students may need. Mrs. Mary Harlan, B.L. Miller Secretary and doubles as the Secretary for Danny’s Cans. The McKinley Jr./Sr. High School custodian, David Papic, is also heavily involved in the project.
From a pair of gloves, to a varsity letterman’s jacket, to Christmas for a family of five, the organization does a lot of work quietly and behind the scenes to meet the needs of children in Sebring, just as Officer Guy had done.
With Bailey serving as President and Stryffeler serving as Treasurer, in January 2021, Danny’s Cans became a 501c(3). Jeff Ruehle, the organization’s Vice President, helped Danny’s Cans establish an online presence, including creating a Facebook page and launching a website for (dannyscans.org). The website provides the opportunity for community members to purchase Danny’s Cans apparel and donations to be accepted from anywhere across the country through PayPal.
Individuals can support the cause by dropping off cans at the trailer at the Royal Star Diner, purchasing apparel, or making a donation through the Danny’s Cans website.
