The legacy of an Alaska recycling icon

Alaska lost a shining light this month, a spiritual being with a stubborn persistence and a dogged belief in our greater good. Mollie Boyer, longtime executive director of recycling center Valley Community for Recycling Solutions (VCRS), lost her brave battle with cancer on Sunday, Nov. 8. She was at peace, surrounded by family and the warm, enveloping thoughts of the many friends who loved her.

Mollie raised the recycling flag in the Matanuska Valley back in December of 1997, and along with a small, grassroots group of dedicated believers, started down the long, winding road toward a permanent facility to house and operate a fully-staffed and functioning recycling center in the Mat-Su. Over the past 22 years, with the help of many different state, federal, and local partnerships forged by Mollie, along with strong community support, she led the way toward bringing recycling to the mainstream in the Valley. That passionate founding group outlined short- and long-term goals, and Mollie worked tirelessly to attain those goals. Through a series of small steps and large leaps forward, Mollie’s relentless vision enabled the value of recycling and the concept of everything as a resource to take root and grow.

Mollie was at the helm of the recycling movement in its earliest phases in Alaska, and steered the ship forward through some turbulent waters over the years, with a laser focus on not only making recycling easily accessible for all Valley residents with the presence of a permanent facility, but also on educating the public on why it made good sense. From the very beginning, Mollie’s commitment to the cause never wavered. She attended countless Borough Assembly meetings with convincing facts and arguments as to why recycling should be part of the Mat-Su Borough infrastructure, and traveled to Juneau to lobby state legislators on the benefits of recycling for the borough, indeed for all of Alaska. Her knowledge and expertise in her field, along with her tireless persistence, eventually led to the inclusion of recycling in the MSB solid waste plan.

Ten years ago, Mollie’s vision of a permanent recycling center was realized as staff moved into the new Resource Recovery and Training Park, the first of its kind in Alaska. VCRS continues to grow and generate goodwill throughout our communities, helping various groups set up recycling facilities at outlying borough transfer sites, working with cities and towns outside the Mat-Su that want to follow the VCRS model, and providing meaningful opportunities for many diverse groups of volunteers. The center has amassed an incredible cadre of over 400 volunteers who help in a myriad of ways to keep operations moving forward.

As extraordinary as Mollie’s legacy and accomplishments were, she will always be remembered as a warm, generous and loving person. Mollie was a huge supporter of the underdog, and was compelled to reach out to those in need and help in any way possible. She would give you the shirt off her back, and believed in the essence and beauty of each person’s being. She loved planet Earth from the bottom of her heart, and it was her fervent wish that we all treat it with the care, love, and respect it deserves.

One of the last events Mollie helped plan was the VCRS Recycle Revival fundraiser in September 2019, at beautiful Settlers Bay Golf Course. Her cancer diagnosis did not allow her to attend, but her many friends, and large group of family members, danced and donated to help raise funds in her honor. This year’s Recycle Revival will be held virtually, and once again, sadly, Mollie will not be there. But we can still dance in her honor, at a distance, and donate to the cause she loved most. Check out our website at www.valleyrecycling.org to be part of our online auction running now through Dec. 5, and our incredible music event taking place at noon on that day!

Mollie Boyer was a pioneer — not only for recycling in Alaska, but as an example of women taking on leadership roles in the community. Her passion, enthusiasm, knowledge, friendship, generous heart, and brilliant smile will be forever missed, but her spirit will always be a part of VCRS, the Mat-Su Valley, and our Great State. She has left a loving and indelible legacy for all of us, and we are all better off because of her. One of her favorite questions was, “If you’re not for zero waste, how much waste are you for?” I don’t know anyone who can come up with an answer Mollie would have accepted. Rest In peace, Miss Mollie.

Randi Perlman is a board member of Valley Community Recycling Solutions.

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