Drive-through shredding event Saturday at Bowie High School By ANNETTE ESTERHELD Staff Writer
Got stacks of credit/debit slips covering your desk at home or piled in bags or boxes?
Come to Bowie High School's parking lot Saturday between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. and safely have those and other unnecessary, papers shredded - right before your very eyes, if you so choose.
The city of Bowie and PNC Bank are sponsoring a Community Shredding Day so you can safely dispose of sensitive documents at this free shredding event. Bring up to 550 pounds of personal documents for shredding. That translates to about five tall kitchen bags or five archive boxes piled with those sensitive papers.
Actually, Jim Henrikson, public works director, told the Blade-News you can bring more than 550 pounds. "If folks have more than five bags or boxes full of items, they can dump 550 pounds and then get in line again for a second go-around to dump another 550 pounds."
Henrikson said last November the city held a Household Hazardous Waste Day at the Prince George's Stadium parking lot and people were invited to bring documents to shred that day. "Shredding documents was the most popular part of that event," he said.
Like last fall, it's a drive-through event, but anyone who wants to stop and park a car to observe his/her items being shredded is most welcome, Henrikson said. He also said city staff and PNC Bank employees will be on hand to help direct traffic and assist people with unloading items for shredding.
As to what to bring, City Councilwoman Diane Polangin, owner of Total Tax Service, told the Blade-News, "Anything that has your name and address on it needs to be shredded - unless it relates to your tax returns."
"I can't stress enough the need to hold on to tax returns for 10 years at least," she said. "In my experience, I've known people who've been called on for tax records from 13 years back."
"But other than that," she added, "do shred bank statements, cancelled checks, and debit and credit slips for purchases."
Polangin said people should also shred letters they get in the mail with offers for preapproved credit cards. "And don't forget all those checks from your bank and credit card companies, someone can take those and write checks on your account because there's so much information provided on them."
Henrikson and Polangin both said people should also bring old computer discs and old credit cards for shredding.
"Most of us have old boxes of records in our attics. Take those for shredding. It's a free event," said Polangin. "Certainly take advantage of Saturday's event, but I recommend buying a home shredder for safely disposing of documents. It's too easy to steal someone's identity."
For information, call 301-809-2344 or e-mail publicinfo@cityofbowie.org.
