Keeping the environment clean and green while earning cash to upgrade their ageing scout hall has seen the 1st Cooma Scout group quickly become Return and Earn champions.

The determined young scouts have raised more than $3,000 of their $15,000 goal in just five short months since starting recycling eligible drink containers in June 2025.

Rebecca Shepherd, chair of the 1st Cooma Scouts, said the 30-strong scout group hope to add air conditioning to their hall.

“The hall is quite old and dilapidated. A lot of people say they were in the scouts as kids and nothing has really changed,” Rebecca said.

“So that is how much TLC it really needs.

“The heating and cooling is our big focus.

“We have no fans for summer and only an open fireplace so we are very ‘old school’. And being near the snow, it is quite cold in winter.

“We’re saving for a split system air conditioner for our big hall and then some ongoing hall maintenance.”

The local community has rallied behind the 1st Cooma Scouts call for drink container donations.

“We put out a heap of Facebook posts to the local community to get donations, to let them know we were after cans,” Rebecca explained.

“We had quite a big, amazing response. The Cooma Bowling Club and Cooma Car Club, H Hardware Cafe came onboard, and one of the local schools, St Patrick’s School, has been really supportive.

“Evoro , a local waste management facility in Cooma, has also been a huge support. We get quite a lot from them every week.”

In December, the 1st Cooma Scouts will collect cans and bottles at a major local horse racing event.

Rebecca said the scouts are inching toward their goal “one can at a time”.

“We are on the Return and Earn app so the community can donate and our progress is transparent.

“We also like seeing the fruits of our labours straight away,” she said.

The recycling effort, which was set up by 1st Cooma Scout treasurer Toni Hearne-Porter, will also lead to two badges for the scouts.

“We’re trying to give back to the community, keep the environment clean, earn money and we are also working toward our Environment and Community badges.

“The scouts are learning lots of things through this fundraising; it is teaching them not only to give back to the community and nature but also a bit of resilience.”

• The community can drop off eligible containers at the 1st Cooma Scout Hall or donate refunds via the Return and Earn app.
• To donate search for “Cooma Scouts” in the charity section of the Return and Earn app.