Dispose of personal documents securely during Shred Day

GROSSE POINTE SHORES — Residents of the five Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods are encouraged to gather up old paperwork with personal information and dispose of it safely during a drive-thru Shred Day event from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. May 13 at Osius Park, 800 Lake Shore Road in Grosse Pointe Shores.

“Get rid of all of those sensitive documents,” Shores Beautification Advisory Committee Chair Helen Bai said.

Participants should bring their driver’s licenses as proof of residency.

The cost is $5 per paper grocery-sized bag or banker’s box of documents. The Grosse Pointe Shores Beautification Advisory Committee is hosting this event in conjunction with the nonprofit Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup.

“It’s really very popular,” Bai said of this annual event.

Organizers are retaining the $5 per bag/box fee, even though the event itself has gotten more expensive to put on because of the increased cost of gas and labor. Bai said the price tag for this event rose from $600 to $900 in 2022. The event usually makes a small profit, and any profit goes toward beautification efforts in the Shores.

“We decided not to raise our fees,” Bai said. “We do this as a community service.”

To reduce the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft, experts recommend shredding any documents with personal information such as a recipient’s name, address, birthdate or Social Security number.

Grosse Pointe Shores Mayor Ted Kedzierski is a certified public accountant and attorney who works on taxes for his clients.

“You can’t just put things in the trash,” Kedzierski said. “I’ve seen people put tax returns in the recycling bin.”

Throwing away or recycling documents with personal information without shredding them or redacting the personal data are a couple of the many ways criminals can steal a person’s identity.

“It’s happening more and more,” Kedzierski said of identity theft. “The bad guys are getting more sophisticated.”

Shred Day participants can rest easier knowing they’ve gotten rid of their unneeded personal documents in a secure fashion.

“You can see it being destroyed right there in front of you,” Kedzierski said. “I think it’s very important.”

Bai said they’ve once again partnered with Madison Heights-based ShredCorp to offer this service.

“They are professional,” Bai said. “They are kind. They are forgiving. They are wonderful.”

National Honor Society students and their friends from Grosse Pointe North High School usually volunteer for this event, Bai said. Their assistance has proven invaluable over the years.

Only paper documents can be accepted, such as canceled checks, taxes, mail and bank statements. Credit cards, CDs, cardboard, paper towels, tissue paper, plastics and floppy discs cannot be disposed of during this event.

No advance registration is necessary. For more information, visit www.gpshores mi.gov or call (313) 881-6565.