Doug Appl has served the St. Joseph community since 1977 when his father started Appl Sanitary.
Now he and his brother Dennis, run the company.
Doug’s workday begins around 6 a.m. when he boards one of their garbage trucks and starts the routes for the day, ending by noon.
That left him plenty of time to complete a community service project recently.
Doug created collection boxes for the St. Joseph Grade School PTC box top program. The boxes were located at the Main Street Mall and the St. Joseph IGA.
“ I am done with my full-time job by 11 most days and did them in my spare time in the afternoon,” Doug said.
Doug said that his daughter, PTC Secretary Katie May, and PTC President Jen Wagner asked him to make the collection boxes.
“Doug is always willing to help when asked,” Wagner said.
The boxes, which look like mailboxes, were inspired by a photo May found for her father on Pinterest.
“I just went by that with a few modifications,” Doug said.
Doug said that giving back to the community is important to him.
“It helps make St. Joe the great community it is,” he said.
Wagner said Doug is always willing to help out.
“He has helped us for a few years now with Katie and her mom, putting together and delivering silent auction baskets for our carnival,” Wagner said.
Doug knows first hand what a great town St. Joseph is—he has lived here for 61 years.
“I guess you could call me a townie,” he said. “My parents moved into town from the family farm east of town when I was one. So in December, I will have lived here 61 years. I guess I just gave away my age.”
