Carolina Strong: Donate pop tabs to Ronald McDonald House to help families in medical crisis

Most of us think nothing of pop tabs, those tiny aluminum tabs on soda and beer cans. But they can make a huge difference for families in medical crisis.

Donations of pop tabs to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Charlotte are turned over to United Scrap Metal for money that helps cover overnight stays for families going through some of their darkest moments.

The Plummer family is one of the top local donation teams. In 2019, now 6-year-old Merritt Plummer was just 18 months old and diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, also known as soft tissue sarcoma.

“It’s one of those things that you hear about, but you think it can never be us,” said Merritt’s father, Aaron Plummer.

After radiation, five surgeries, and 42 weeks of chemo, Merritt was able to celebrate being cancer-free in 2020.

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During her treatment, the family wanted to do something to give back, so they rallied friends and family to start collecting pop tabs. And they never stopped.

“Not everybody can give monetarily to different organizations,” said Merritt’s mother, Kayla Plummer. “But everybody can take a tab off the drink.”

“It’s just amazing to see what she has come through, and also, at this point, be hopeful for those that are going through the same thing,” Aaron told Channel 9.

Through the tabs, the Plummers have raised more than $1600 for the charity. They have a huge network of helpers up and down the east coast.

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Every day, there are people across the Carolinas doing extraordinary things. They’re giving back, they’re helping each other, and they’re making a real difference. We’re highlighting the best in our community in our series, Carolina Strong.

Know somebody who’s making a positive impact? Let us know here .

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