NEW MADISON — An effort by Tri-Village students has been set up to help them memorialize two important people in their community and school….the late Susie Midlam and Mitch McCabe.

Midlam was a Tri-Village educator for 35 years. She is remembered by family, friends and students as a warm-hearted dedicated teacher who always pushed her students to learn and achieve.

McCabe, who died April 25 this year at the age of 25, is a graduate of Tri-Village. During his battle with cancer, he was a role model to young people across Darke County and across the Miami Valley.

Students are collecting caps from household containers, and with these, benches can be made from something that would ordinarily be added to community landfills.

Accepted will be any plastic cap that is clean and free from metal. These can include snap-on cottage cheese, coffee can and yogurt lids; twist-on medicine, drink bottles and milk jug lids; flip-top ketchup and syrup bottle lids; spout tops on mustard and ice cream toppings; large twist lids on fabric softener and detergent bottles; and plastic medicine bottles free of any labels.

Donated caps from household recycling can be made into memorial benches to place in the Memory Garden located behind the Tri-Village Library; thus, the project goal is two benches by spring 2016; of course, one for Midlam and the other for McCabe.

It was noted that 400 pounds of caps plus $200 equals one bench.

Project Partners are TV PATS, TV FFA, TV National Honor Society, TV Key Club, TV Student Council, TV News, Cedar Grove Church of the Brethren, Darke County Girl Scouts, New Madison Kiwanis and New Madison Public Library.

Drop-off locations are Tri-Village School office, New Madison Public Library, New Madison Mini Mart and Tri-Village Rescue Services.

The school is working with ABC Promise Partnership on this project, and the program is offered through Greentree Plastics in Evansville, Indiana, to involve young people in recycling and community service.

Contact people for this project are Shawn Thomas, PATS, at [email protected] or by calling 937-996-1511 or Brenda Miller of New Madison Public Library at [email protected] or by calling 996-1741.