Castell Insurance shred event supports Back to School Fair on Aug. 11

By Matthew Nash • August 8, 2018 1:30 am

Along with handling Sequim’s insurance needs, Castell Insurance has become the go-to place to discard your sensitive information at its annual free shred event.

From 8 a.m.-11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at Castell Insurance, 426 E. Washington St., employees, their friends and family, and volunteers with the Boys & Girls Club of the Olympic Peninsula shred any papers with no limit.

Its the seventh year for the event, and Phil Castell, owner of the business, said it’s gotten busier each year with hundreds of vehicles coming by packed with receipts, bank statements, old photos, tax papers and more.

Insurance agent James Castell said they continue to seek monetary and school supply donations at their shred event for the Boys & Girls Clubs’ annual Back to School Fair on Aug. 25, too.

In the last three events, Castell Insurance raised close to $15,000, he said, and they hope with donations from Saturday they’ll reach at least $20,000.

“We think we’re making a difference in the community,” Phil Castell said. “We also look at it as a fun event for the office staff, too.”

The event has gotten so popular, the Castells upgraded from one shredding truck to two.

“We learned our mistake a few years ago when we just had one truck and got stuck holding an office load of papers for a week until they could get us another truck over here,” Phil Castell said.

Drivers are encouraged to stay in their car to cut down on vehicle backups, he said, and helpers will empty your documents into bins before shredding.

James said with the event growing so much, they’ve been left with more cardboard than the local bins can hold, so they reached out to Waste Management/DM Disposal who is donating its largest cardboard bin for the cause.

Sound Community Bank 645 W. Washington St., hosts a system-wide shred event on its site from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., too, Phil said, and they encourage people to go there if they can’t make Castell Insurance’s event.

Individuals or businesses with large amounts of papers are encouraged to write checks directly to the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula because it’s tax-deductible.

For more on Castell Insurance’s shred event, visit 426 E. Washington, call 360 683-9284 or visit facebook.com/castellinsurance.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula Back to School Fair runs 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Sequim Boys & Girls Club, 400 W. Fir St. For more information, call 360-683-8095 or visit bgc-op.org/back-to-school-fair.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.