PERKINS, Okla. — A Perkins-Tryon High School student is making a difference with hard work and scrap metal.

Junior Garrett Dollins, 17, has raised $650 from selling scrap metal in his ongoing attempt to reach his $1,000 goal to go toward the Perkins-Tryon school system. Dollins had originally settled on a $500 goal but changed the amount.

“My dad has rented a shop for a long time along the highway,” Dollins said. “He’s been there 27 years. We built a new shop at our house, so we were going to stop renting it and move all our stuff out there.”

Dollins said he needed something to do over the summer, so he began cleaning up fence rows during the day and hauling the scrap metal away. Eventually, it occurred to him to sell the scrap metal and donate the money.

He began his project in August. There really isn’t a recycling project for big pieces of scrap metal, Dollins said.

“There’s lots of Clothes Closets and aluminum can drives, March of Dimes, and all that stuff is great, but this is something new and different,” he said. “And I thought it would have a real good impact on the community because it can help the elderly if they don’t have their kids live close by. It can help them clean up their yards, and it’s going to a good cause. It’s going to the school.”

The money goes specifically toward first aid materials and equipment for the schools as well as athletic safety equipment.

The project has gained more steam than he had originally anticipated, Dollins said.

“I already had some set places that I knew I could go get stuff, and it would help those people out, and then I figured if I don’t get any calls well then something is better than nothing, right?” he said.

He got multiple calls for assistance, however, many from residents he hasn’t yet visited due to his busy schedule with basketball practice other programs. Dollins has been a basketball big man since he started playing at a very young age. His work will pick back up when the season is over, Dollins said.

But, in the meantime, he also takes the opportunity to help kids fulfill their community service projects.

“There’s kids that want to help me all the time now,” he said. “They’re like, ‘Oh man, when are you going scrapping next? I want to help out.’ And some stuff is too dangerous for them to go and do. That’s just not a good thing. I’m big on safety, but whenever I can, I’ll invite them and we’ll go and get some stuff.”

Dollin’s knack for safety extends to his involvement with 4-H, completing many of the Payne County and Oklahoma safety programs. He has placed in the top three the past two years, earning  a $1,000 scholarship presented during the state 4-H Round-Up camp.

Dollins first visits potential sites to inquire what scraps a homeowner doesn’t mind being donated and gauge how much help he may need. He spends, on average, four to five hours during a two-day period at one site. Everyone is appreciative of the help, he said.

Dollins, who wants to become a mechanical engineer, also donates his time to other activities, such as picking up trash with FFA, preparing care packages for overseas troops with 4-H, volunteering at the Clothes Closet and doing community work with his dad at the junior high. He does all these activities, Dollins said, because that was how he was raised, and he sees how his work helps others.

“It’s really for a good cause, and I think people should be involved in their community,” he said. “I have the ability to do that, and I know some people don’t and that’s fine — that’s perfectly fine. And I know other people can donate monetarily, with their time, whatever, but why not? Really? And there’s a lot worse things that we could be doing with our kids than getting them out there and trying to help out.”