Houston, TX (PRWEB) May 04, 2015 -- During a route through South Houston early Wednesday morning, a uniformed driver for American Textile Recycling Service (ATRS) came across an interesting item among the assorted mix of clothing, shoes and other household textiles left for donation.
Recognizing this apparel as the jacket portion of a military uniform, the driver, Charles Andrews, inspected it more closely and was surprised to find one of the many pins affixed to the pockets was a Purple Heart Medal. This award is specifically afforded to soldiers wounded or killed while serving in the military on or after April 5, 1917.
Understanding the significance of this find Andrews separated the jacket from the general donations and reported the discovery to the ATRS corporate offices on West Little York Road. Upon further inspection the jacket, with the name tag "Martinez" was found to have an aged map of Fort Knox, KY in the front right pocket.
"I know how valuable a Purple Heart is and how sentimental a family can be about them, especially if their loved one was lost," says Charles Andrews a Houston resident and longtime ATRS driver, "Our hope is that if it was donated by mistake the person will come forward and retrieve this family artifact."
American Textile Recycling Service (ATRS) has an ongoing commitment to reusing, repurposing and recycling donated textiles so they get a second life and can be used where they are needed most. This mission is guarded by employee drivers, managers and sorters. ATRS is asking that if the service jacket was donated in error, please call the 24-Hour Hotline 1-866-900-9308 for recovery.
About American Textile Recycling Service (ATRS) is the nation’s fastest growing textile recycler. Its socially responsible business model provides free textile recycling solutions for the public, job stimulation worldwide and much-needed funding for worthy local charities. Easy, convenient ATRS Recyclers are available throughout the Greater Houston Area, Beaumont, Galveston, Dallas Ft. Worth, San Antonio and Austin Texas, Colorado, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee, Georgia, Oklahoma and Southern California. ATRS is committed to keeping textile waste from local landfills and promoting a greener tomorrow. For press inquires contact pr(at)atrsonline(dot)com.
Debra Stevenson, American Textile Recycling Service, http://atrscorp.com, 281.753.3369, [email protected]
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