Please don't dump, Lo-Se-Ca reminds public

Donations, not dumps, and don’t be rude.

That’s the message the staff at Lo-Se-Ca’s I’m Unique Thrift Shop are once again sending out to the public on the occasion of this month’s long weekend. Moments such as this often find the store dealing with unwanted and illegal dumping right outside the agency’s doors.

Sharon Baker, thrift store manager, said that this year has been better than usual for the recurring problem. Something else is happening more often, however, that is threatening to spoil everyone’s goodwill: bad attitudes.

“The people dropping stuff off get – putting it politely – ticked off at me and they throw things and they yell,” she remarked. “I think there’s a misunderstanding that we should take everything and we should have the space for it, and we really don’t.”

“Don’t throw an attitude. I’ve had things thrown at me. You’re telling them, ‘Please don’t leave that here’ and they’re dumping it, totally ignoring you. They get angry at me because I can’t take it. I explain that we’re full and I can’t even open the warehouse door.”

The abuse hasn’t totally soured the otherwise upbeat store manager. Still, she finds it confounding that Lo-Se-Ca is there to offer a valuable service to local residents. Some get angry with her because they mistakenly believe that the organization is a part of the civic government and they’re upset with the structure of garbage fees in place.

Others, she said, are simply foul. On a few occasions last year she even had to call in some licence plate numbers, including that of a luxury car, to local peace officers.

“A guy in a Mercedes … he went right to our dumpster. One of my volunteers went up to him and said, ‘Excuse me, we need to pay for this.’ He turned around and gave me the finger and drove off.”

She said that she accepts as much as she can up until the intake warehouse closes at 3 p.m.

“That’s a lot of times when you get the attitude: ‘Well, my mom just died an hour ago.’ ‘Really? You’re packing her stuff up already?’” she laughed. “They always have a story. I’ve heard ’em all.”

The secondhand store has strict rules for what donations can be accepted and when. Occasionally, it has to turn people away because it has no more room for new items.

When this happens, she suggests that people come back on another day when donations might be received again, or to go to other local charities that receive second-hand donated goods. These include the Salvation Army Thrift Shoppe (in Tudor Glen Market), the newly opened Value Village (on Inglewood Drive) and any of the other donation bins (that can be found at Canadian Tire or in various locations around the city). The Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Edmonton accepts fixtures, furniture and renovation supplies, among other items.

“Just have a little bit of understanding that we’re in a very, very small building. We can only have so much stuff in here. When it becomes unsafe in here, I cut it off. They have to understand that safety is the number one priority to our guys.”

The I’m Unique store serves as a fundraiser for the foundation known formally as Love-Service-Care. It works as an advocacy and support organization that helps people with disabilities.

In past years, the receiving area and the side entrance (at the back of the Campbell Business Centre along Carnegie Drive) have been blocked off by overnight or long weekend dumps. Baker said that improved monitoring and better signage have definitely made a huge improvement on the situation.

“This year has probably been one of the better ones I’ve been here. I think people are finally understanding … but the past two weeks have been pretty intense. I just want people to know there’s a sign that gives you directions to ring the doorbell and wait for somebody to assist you. Don’t just leave it outside.”

When items are left outside, it’s more than just illegal. They are exposed to the unforgiving elements.

“That’s something else that people should consider. Once it’s soggy and it’s been sitting there and it gets mouldy, as much as you think you’re helping, you’re not really helping. It’s of no use to any charity.”

She added that donation dumps and poor quality donations have also led the organization to suffer high garbage removal costs. There have even been periods where they had to get dumpster pick-ups on a daily basis.