Thift shops are a better option than dumping large waste at 1.8-Acre Site

RESIDENT COLUMN

by Nick Massetti

LW contributor

Mutual 12 resident Jackie Bishop had partially disassembled her no-longer-needed bike so it would fit in her car, but when she tried to donate it to a local thrift store, it would not accept the bike because it was not assembled.

So she did what many residents would do. She took it to the 1.8-Acre Site next to the former Mini Farm and was about to leave it in the dumpster.

I could see the anguish in her face and not just because she had to struggle to get the bike out of her super compact car.

I mentioned that Leisure World had just established a special relationship with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store at 2750 Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach. And it’s only a 14-minute drive from LW.

The store will take a myriad of items large and small, including bikes, from Leisure World.

The complete list of items that can be donated can be found at svdp.org/donate/donation-ofgoods/.

Jackie was elated, even more so, when I retrieved the bike and loaded it back into her car for the short journey. She even agreed to pose for a picture in the hope that others will follow her example.

One more benefit of her reconsidering dumping her bike is that dumpster divers who frequent the bins looking for items to sell made their rounds just after she had gone. And, to my glee, they left frustrated.

Let’s all follow Jackie’s great example and take our usable items, especially large furniture, to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store or call its donation number (800) 974-3571. Recycle, save the environment, reduce trash costs is a triple play of win, win, win.