How to Keep Track of Your Reachers at Volunteer Events

You hand out 50 reachers at 9 a.m. By noon, 38 come back. Sound familiar?

For cleanup organizers, missing reachers is an unfortunate part of event execution. Every tool that walks away is money out of a tight budget and fewer tools at your next event can mean doubling up on gear or turning volunteers away.Let’s give volunteers the benefit of the doubt: they’re likely not blatantly stolen. They end up in car trunks, mixed in with a partner group's gear, left at the cleanup site, broken and mixed in with other trash, or the volunteer simply didn’t know they weren’t supposed to take it home with them. With a simple return routine and tools that are clearly marked as yours, you can get a lot more of them back.

Why Reachers Go Missing

• Volunteers forget they're holding one. After a couple hours of picking up litter, a reacher starts to feel like part of your arm.
• It looks like a giveaway. Next to free t-shirts and water bottles, a reacher can seem like one more freebie unless someone says otherwise.
• Generic tools all look the same. When multiple groups co-host an event, unmarked reachers get mixed up fast and there's no easy way to sort out whose is whose.
• There's no clear return point. If the event ends with snacks and a group photo, tools end up wherever people happened to be standing.

Set Up a Simple Check-In System

You don't need anything complicated. A few habits make a big difference:

• Count before and after. Know exactly how many tools went out so you know how many should come back.
• Use a sign-out sheet for larger events. A paper sheet or quick QR form ties each tool to a person, and just asking volunteers to sign makes them more likely to return it.
• Assign a gear lead. Give one person at each site the job of handing out and collecting tools.
• Set up a marked return station. A bin with a "Return Reachers Here" sign works fine. Announce it at kickoff and again at wrap-up.
• Collect tools first. Gather gear before the group photo or snacks, while everyone is still focused.

Make Your Reachers Unmistakably Yours

A sign-out sheet helps, but the most effective fix is a tool that clearly belongs to your organization. At ArcMate, the Orang-U-Tong product line features tools in a bright orange color, so it's easy to spot in grass, brush, or a pile of gear, and includes free personalization: get your organization's name, phone number, or both!

That label does a lot of work. Volunteers know the tool isn't theirs to keep, co-hosted events can sort tools in seconds, and if a reacher does leave the site, whoever finds it has a way to get it back to you. Your name also shows up in every event photo your volunteers share.

Pick the Orang-U-Tong that fits your cleanups:

• Orang-U-Tongs Standard: Our most popular choice for litter groups and Adopt-A programs, available in 32 or 40 inches.
• Orang-U-Tongs PRO: Our heavy-duty option, trusted by public works crews and transportation departments. A good fit for groups that run frequent events, 36” length
• Squeezy Pick-up Tongs: Squeeze-style tongs with a soft foam grip and smooth, curved ends that slip into brush and tight spaces. Best for desert landscapes or unforgiving bushes.
• Waterway PRO Pick-up Tongs: Built for creek, river, and shoreline cleanups. Metal disk ends grab soggy trash and wet leaves, with no rubber parts to wear out.

If you don’t use the Orang-U-Tongs, you can simply write your organization name directly on the tool with permanent marker or paint. Optionally, you can add our new property tags to your tools. Each one attaches to the tool's handle with a "Please Return to Organizer" message. They're free with any personalized Orang-U-Tong order, or you can buy them in 100-packs to tag the tools you already own.

After the Event

The last 15 minutes of an event paints a picture of how many tools you can start the next one with.

• Do a final count and note any missing reachers.
• Follow up quickly with site leads or partner groups while the event is still fresh.
• Store everything together so tools don't drift into garages and trunks between events.
• Keep a running log to spot which events lose the most tools and plan reorders ahead of time.

Keep More Reachers in Your Hands

Losing reachers after every event doesn't have to be part of the job. A simple check-in routine, combined with personalized and tagged tools, means more reachers come back and more volunteers have what they need next time.

P.S. Tell your volunteers if they break a reacher to bring it back to you and don’t throw it out! Once you have 6 or more broken reachers, send them back to ArcMate for free with our Reacher Recycling Program!

Photo credit: The Trash Punx