Bryce Henson has only lived in McCall for a few short years, but McCall is sure lucky he made the move to the valley. He is a man full of energy, compassion, and a north star that guides him to do amazing things when he sets his mind to it.
Bryce, an electrician by trade but not by identity, has started a new initiative called Copper 4 Communities. Their sole mission is “a community-powered initiative turning scrap copper into real local impact. Every pound of metal becomes funding for the nonprofits that make our community stronger.” It’s a simple idea that raises meaningful funds for local nonprofits. And not just a few hundred dollars here or there—since 2023, he’s raised and donated over $7,000 to local nonprofits. That’s big money making a big impact for these organizations, and ultimately for our community.
So how does it work? Bryce connects with contractors (all contractors, not just electricians can help) in the area who would be willing to donate their copper wiring—the material they pull from jobs that is no longer usable, yet still valuable. Bryce and his team will then drop bins at the job sites and once they’re full enough he’ll drive around to collect the materials and bring them back to his shop.
From there, his team takes the time to strip the wiring, because it significantly increases the value of the copper when it’s properly prepared. Once the copper is stripped, Bryce drives it to Pacific Steel and Recycling in Boise, where he can get the highest value for the material because they give Coppers 4 Communities a special rate to also help give back.
Sounds simple, right? Well, yes and no.
First off, Bryce needs to get buy-in from other contractors. Some of them sell the wiring to bring in extra funds for their business, or use it as bonuses for their employees. Others simply throw it away because it takes too much time and effort to gather, strip, and sell it. And either way, Bryce gets it. But he also believes in giving back. As he put it, “If you want it to be a healthy place you live, then have a hand in the growth and be a part of that growth.”
Copper 4 Communities has had a slow start—not because the desire isn’t there, but because, like most people’s lives, there are a lot of distractions. For Bryce, it’s been a dream for many years, but his focus has been pulled in many different directions—from moving across states, to building his electrical business, Lit Electric, to raising two adorable kiddos who are still quite young, to getting his real estate license, and hiring his first employees at Lit Electric… oh, and all that other McCall stuff of hobbies, houses, and more. But through it all, he believes in becoming a better person. With the help of his business coach, he’s fine-tuned what that North Star is for him in life. It’s pretty simple, but pretty dang powerful: “Be of service to one another.”
Bryce grew up with parents who embodied this mindset and set an inspiring example for him. So, as he’s navigated adulthood, he’s been consistently pulled back to this idea that when you’re of service to others, it can do so much.
It’s not about recognition for him either. Whether he knows the people he’s impacting or not—or whether they even know him—he doesn’t really care. He knows deep down that it’s helping his community, his town, and “it feels good to do it,” as he so simply put it.
Bryce believes deeply in the health of the environment around you, and knows that if he can create momentum with Copper 4 Communities, he can make an even bigger impact.
The next steps for creating more momentum? Some long-term dreams include teaching other communities to adopt this model and start a local Copper 4 Communities chapter of their own. But for now, his sole focus is on Adams and Valley County.
What he needs is pretty simple: volunteers to help strip wire (super easy) and/or drive materials to Boise, contractors willing to donate their materials for him to pick up, and/or funding toward an additional wire stripper. Even something as simple as a homeowner requesting that unused materials from a remodel go to Copper 4 Communities can have a massive impact. One home in Tamarack had their copper gutters replaced and donated the old ones, which led to $1300 in funds.
And lastly, simply sharing about this new and local initiative will help spread the word and build the momentum he needs.
McCall is lucky to have Bryce Henson—a man you can feel wants to not only do better, but be better, and inspire those around him to strive for the same. He’s our local Hometown Hero, making big impacts for our local nonprofits, which in turn create a powerful ripple effect throughout our entire community and town.
