Peggi Posted August 7, 2007 Share Posted August 7, 2007 ARC is the Association for Retarded Citizens but they go by ARC now because retarded, has become a derogatory term as opposed to medical... Here in GA it has become known as MHDD--mental health developmental disabilities. Well, Deb, nice to know that unscruplous people live somewhere besides the south. It was nice of them to not take the tarp, so count your blessings. The folks couldn't be all bad, just half bad. Seriously, they were low down skunks, and must not have known who they were messing with. You need to post a sign saying your house is protected by "Smith and Wesson", then maybe they would think twice before taking things that belonged to someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Apparently our DS' trashpicking methods have rubbed off on some of the other residents, our county removed every single last one of the recycling bins and have stored them at the sanitation facility outside of Quincy. Since we are DS' partners on his house note we have begun taking our recyclables to his house for him to put out for us. One of our errands today was to put the ol' mower in the shop one more time, and the shop owner advised us it was cheaper to replace it, so DS said to leave it at his curbside. Within 20 minutes one of the neighbors came by to ask why the mower was out front by the trash and we told him, so he asked all of us if he could have it. We repeated all the problems with it & apparently he really wanted to tinker with it, you never saw such a huge grin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SallyG Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 I have to admit that my husband and I has been known to "scavenge" from time to time. When I see a piece of furniture being thrown out that could be stripped down and redone, I can't resist. I've gotten an oak teachers desk from the 1920's, a complete set of diningroom chairs (I just need a table), a 5 piece Coca-Cola retro style kitchen set that just needed a bit of rust removed, a $250 jewelry box that just needed the velvet brushed and a few coats of orange oil to bring back the mahogany wood, a wrought iron porch sofa...you get the idea! However, I would never take something that had a note attached (unless it said FREE) without asking permission from the owners. Hopefully, whoever took it was in dire need....still..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 So, Deb, what fiendishly clever way have you found to embarrass the thief? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Our city used to have bulk trash pick up week. It was a scavengers paradise. I even got into the act. They put the stuff out for trash and you could take it if you wanted it. The city didnt like the way that *looked*, so you had to have your bulk picked up by appointment. Now they suspended it all together. You have to figure out a way to get it to the dump yourself and pay for the privilege. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shy Spirit Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 Years ago the city had an annual day (it may have been a weekend) for putting out large items such as furniture for pick-up. People were expected to cruise around and help themselves. Whatever was left over, was picked up by the city and taken to the dump. It seemed like an excellent idea, but they scrapped it. I suppose it wasn't cost effective - now you have to take your large items to the dump yourself. (Or donate them if they're in good condition.) The garbagemen will take things like TVs, headboards for beds, any "medium" sized items. We just bought a new BBQ and put the old one out on the curb with a garbage bag for trash pickup. It was gone within minutes! It was very old, and had developed a leak in the gas connection - I would have told whoever wanted it about the problem, but no-one asked if they could have it, it just disappeared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 8, 2007 Share Posted August 8, 2007 When we lived in Jacksonville anything that was left out by the curb that wasn't darted off by someone went into the garbage truck when it came. Where we live now we either pay the county $100/ year (recently up from $50) to take our garbage to a convenient dump site, rather than having to get up at 0600 to take it to the landfill ourselves and pay a modest tipping fee, but get there before all the big garbage trucks got there first & wait in a very stinky, smelly line; or we could pay the city $40/ month to have waste management come around every week and pick up what was in one can (it takes us several weeks to fill up one can, since we compost the veggie scraps and recycle the recyclables and dispose of the hazwaste like aerosols & paintcans where we're supposed to). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammieCal Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 Yesterday I put out a nice Canon fax machine for CARH (Community Assistance for Retarded and Handicapped), clearly marked for donation with their blue postcard taped in place. I went off to happily buy a virgin Glencroft kit for $30 and thought no more about it. When I came home the fax machine was gone, and I thought "Great! they can use that!" But there was no sign of the usual donation receipt on my porch. I looked in the flower beds, thinking the breeze might have picked it up, nada. Called CARH and they never got the fax machine. My street has very low traffic as it's a private offshoot of another low-density street, so it's possible that a neighbor helped themselves to the fax machine. I've been mulling over what to do, and I think that next time I put out a donation for CARH I'll stick a sign in the lawn that says: "These items are here for charitable donation to CARH, not for free pickup." Not that I think that will deter anyone determined to help themselves despite clear indication of charitable intent. If it isn't marked for a charity I'm happy to share and I am grateful to someone who takes it off my hands, but this charity really needs the donations and I want them to have the use of my items. Many folks put freebies to extremely good use as many here have commented. My neighbors bought a new BBQ, and put out the old one with a "Free" sign. I thought nobody in their right mind would take that rusted out mess, but someone did and probably spit shined it back into a nice, functional BBQ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted August 9, 2007 Share Posted August 9, 2007 I think the moral to this story is that if you want to donate something usable to a charity, take the extra time & effort to deliver it in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missymew Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 And let's not forget that Teresa actually "found" her Beacon Hill dollhouse sitting on a neighbour's curb! Years ago when Ray and I hadn't been married for too many years, he'd annoyed me one day I got out a big green garbage bag and told him to "hop in - tomorrow's garbage day pick up". -Susanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshines_minis Posted August 10, 2007 Share Posted August 10, 2007 Are you sure that they didn't call then find the right house? Most criminals don't fold tarps up neatly. I would think that theywere at the wrong house then found the right house and took it. I would have called and oppoligize to see if they found it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted August 11, 2007 Author Share Posted August 11, 2007 So, we were just coming home from a run to Michael's and when we were pulling into the driveway, I happened to glance at the next door neighbor's garage where the door was open. Guess what was sitting inside it? Yep, there's my furniture piled up in their garage with the rest of their junk. Not that it surprises me since they were my first choice for who would have done it. We refer to them (not quite affectionately) as "White Trash With Cash". Actually, I call the wife Mrs Kravitz coz no matter when I go out in the backyard, as soon as she hears my patio door open, she's peering over the top of the fence to see what I'm doing. I'm really po'd about it because they *don't* need charity. What they do need is some morals! I'd go talk to them about it, but it wouldn't do any good. Just for example, when we were moving into this house, they came out to meet us and the first thing Mr. WTw/C said was, "I have high speed internet from Comcast. If you want to tap into my line, I'll give you a good deal. Comcast will never know." Bruce and I both just cracked up and finally Bruce quit laughing long enough to tell him, "Um, we both work for Comcast and as of now, the cable company knows." So I don't think that talking to them about stealing from a charity is going to do any good. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachie Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Its sad to think someone would take something put out for Charity....but where I live you don't have to put it out....if they see something they like they will come back when you're not home and take it.....we do have some not so nice neighbors.....I stay clear of them.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathieB Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 LOL!!! ... I think I'd go over there and thank them profusely for taking the furniture in. Tell them how I'd worried about the tarp not being enough to protect it but not being able to get home to do anything about it and how glad I am that we have such good neighbors. And then I'd ask them to help me load it into my van so I could take it to the charitable organization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 My next door neighbor is a Mrs. Kravitz! She has a pair of really good binoculars and she spies thru her windows to see what everyone is doing. LOL She is a nice elderly woman so I dont think of it being so bad. I just make sure the blinds are closed..LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 Here's the plan -- you watch their garage and the next time the door is open and you can see your furniture, you call the charity (or a friend with a pick up truck they don't recognize) and give them your neighbor's address and the description of your furniture to pick up. Then you sit back and watch them try not to give it to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heidiiiii Posted August 12, 2007 Share Posted August 12, 2007 ROFL Peggi that is a good one! Deb I would fly down to your house and sit with you in some loungers in the yard and drink some iced tea to see that one..(and I am afraid to fly) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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