Collecting cans and bottles to save up funds for his 87th birthday, Wally Waters had no idea his efforts would see dozens of community members willing to help out.
Now almost a month since his birthday party, Mr Waters has been able to donate money to the Wooroloo bushfires with the amount of containers he collected.
"I decided for my 87th birthday I'd have a party and save up by collecting cans and bottles," he said.
"After raising about $500 everyone came and we had a lovely party.
"After that I thought there is some money to be made here.
"I started going around collecting cans and bottles to make some money to donate to the people who had lost their houses."
As more Dawesville residents began to hear about his collecting efforts from a Facebook post they offered him their own bottles and cans.
The post on a local community page garnered over 400 likes and over 100 comments supporting him.
Collecting up to seven hours a day, Mr Waters said he now has regulars he collects from.
"I ended up collecting around 10,000 pieces and donated $1014 to the Lord Mayor's Disaster Relief Fund," he said.
"I have a lot of fun doing it - they are all lovely people around here.
"One place there was 10 children who all wanted to have a go - what should've taken me 15 minutes took me an hour and a half.
"I thought that was the crowning glory of doing this."
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Originally from Fremantle, Mr Waters said he had always helped the communities he lived in as much as he could.
"I've always helped everybody even from years ago when I was collecting parts with the sea scouts down in Fremantle," he said.
"I also have a plaque from the East Fremantle Bowling Club because I donated money when they were down to 87 members and just about bankrupt."
His next goal is to donate money to a local club on behalf of the Dawesville and Melros community.
