Saving money for a bright future

Lawrence Middle School eighth grader Gerber Perez has been collecting recyclables — bottles and cans — since the beginning of summer, with help from his brother, Henry, a junior at Lawrence High School, in hopes of raising money for college.

Gerber was spurred to collect bottles from a recycling lesson he learned in school. “I want to make a better tomorrow,” he said about his choice to recycle.

Despite their two-year age difference, Henry, 16, and Gerber, 14, are very close and have played soccer together for three years at the Lawrence-based Five Towns Community Center’s soccer program. The brothers are also both active in the community and have volunteered at events at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Inwood and the annual Inwood Car Show.

The recyclables Gerber and Henry collect are stored at their Cedarhurst home until enough are collected to take to Sobol’s Beer Distributors on Sheridan Boulevard in Inwood.

Pete Sobol, an Inwood resident and previous owner of Sobol’s Beer Distributors, helped Gerber and Henry get started with their bottle collection by making up business cards for the pair to hand out and offering them transportation to cash in the bottles. “It’s great to see kids that are motivated,” Sobol said. “It not only helps them but keeps the community clean and it’s good for the environment. I’m proud of them.”

Henry and Gerber came to the United States from Guatemala when they were 13, and 10, respectively. Henry said though he is undecided in regards to what he’d like to study in college, he would like to run his own realty business and return to the Five Towns after college. “This is the first place I came to and I like the people,” he said. “I feel confident here.”

Gerber said the $50 that he’s raised so far by collecting bottles would go towards his dream of attending Syracuse and eventually becoming a veterinarian. “The money will help me for my college tuition,” he said.

Consuelo Lopez, the boys’ mother, said collecting bottles is a great way to help the environment by keeping it clean and will also help them save for college. “They always wanted to go to college and by collecting bottles they’re saving money to help each other out,” she said.

Lopez said she is looking forward to her sons’ having a successful future while always remembering the good values she taught them. “I hope they always remember the people who helped them and that they remember to help others,” she said. “And to never forget where they came from in order for them to see where they’re going.”