Charity is a word often represented by a heart symbol, and
is the third of the Catholic saint trio Hope, Faith, and Charity.
But the charity portion I’m discussion today is the group of
phony organizations who claim to want to help the downtrodden.
Without fail, I hear a radio or television advertisement
from some sort of charity begging for money or goods to sell at a profit. Some even claim worker-members will
rehabilitate your donations in an effort to teach participants a skill.
For years now, may sainted wife and I refuse to have yard
sales; rather we donate goods to these charities.
Three-years ago, I wanted to lighten my flotilla by donating
an elderly airboat to charity. For
landlubbers, an airboat is a vessel with a giant fan on the back to propel the
boat through shallow and weed-filled waters.
I made arrangements for pickup and am still waiting. I don’t think they’re coming.
Our recent home sale found us trying to purge very usable
furniture to a charity that will remain anonymous, but whose name rhymes with
Salivation Army. They sent a truck and
two lazy guys who announced there was a scratch on one leg, thereby precluding
them from taking it because the scratch made it totally undesirable. A next door neighbor asked me if she could
buy it to refinish for her daughter’s bedroom; I helped her carry it to her
$1.5 million home.
Clothes and shoes are acceptable, but not sheets. Perhaps used sheets are unsanitary…check with
any hotel or motel about that. The local
animal shelter got those.
If you want to donate a car, be sure that it is no older
than five years. We decided to donate a
car to a charity that invites all types of vehicles for use by needy
families. They laughed when we told them
the car was twelve years-old. We donated
it to a local public school for their vocational program. The vo-tech teacher asked where to send the
tow truck to pick it up; we drove it there because it was in really good shape.
It’s time for those snooty charities to think about the
community and the charity they represent.
Sure, some get junk that is broken or dated but, what about those
workers who can learn a skill repairing this stuff?
The charities that want new merchandise need to beg for free
products from Target, Sears, and JC Penney; they’re not going to get new, free
goods from the general populace. That’s
today’s free tip.
