Busy B Bargains, Tofield’s non-profit secondhand store, is looking for more volunteers and cleaner donations.
Busy B is thankful for the community that supports the organization in numerous ways. However, receiving donations includes sorting through garbage and soiled clothes.
Treasurer and volunteer Debby Mosby says that this is not a new issue but has been a problem for many years.
Oftentimes garbage will be found within the bags and boxes, and items may reek of animal and even human waste. As well, Busy B asks that only clean clothes be donated. Mosby said years ago Busy B did have a washer and dryer, but that is no longer the case and is not feasible, given the volume of donations they receive.
Currently, Busy B spends over $500 each month taking garbage and large items that are damaged or broken to the landfill. Furniture, appliances, exercise machines, and water coolers are among the donations that must be taken to the dump.
“Furniture that is broken is probably the biggest culprit. We received a damaged ottoman that was stained and smelled terrible. Just gross, cat pee furniture. We receive things that don’t work, like blenders or coffee makers that are missing parts. Not only do we have to take water coolers to the dump, we have to pay for the Freon, which is another $25 charge. Large exercise equipment typically doesn’t sell and they are cumbersome to move,” Mosby said.
Many of Busy B’s current volunteers are seniors and have difficulty moving extremely large and heavy boxes or overfilled bags.
“We’ve received boxes of books a man could hardly carry. We’re all pretty strong, but it was unbelievably big, and filled solid with books. Huge garbage bags full of blue jeans are also extremely heavy,” said Mosby.
Busy B currently has about 40 volunteers who take shifts working at the two locations, but they are always looking for more helping hands. Mosby said the number of volunteers could be attributed to more people needing to find employment.
“I think everyone is finding more people have to work. There are double income families and so we’re losing that volunteer base. The majority of volunteers here are seniors and there isn’t that next group of people coming up,” she said.
Busy B is currently looking to hire permanent part time staff to ensure consistent help.
“It will take away from what we are able to give away, but we’re drowning in the sorting room back there. It’s gone on for months, and it’s not getting better,” said Mosby.
Every Monday unsold clothes and household goods are removed and replaced with new items. These donations are distributed to Haiti Arise, street people, Honduras and Africa We Care.
“We have a team that takes down everything Monday nights, and on Tuesday all the new clothes go up. We bag up what is not sold and it goes to Africa. The group we work with is called Africa We Care, and they physically deliver the clothing,” Mosby said.
As items come in, some are set aside for Haiti Arise and are not put out for sale.
“(For example,) we don’t put water-stained glasses out; they get boxed up and stored away to be sent to Haiti Arise. They come and get it, sell it in weight to Value Village, and then use the money to build hurricane-proof houses. It’s different than how Africa We Care works, because they keep the donations whereas Haiti Arise sells it,” Mosby said.
In the last five years Busy B has given funds and item donations to over 50 local groups. Busy B’s mission is “To help as many people in as many places and as many ways as humanly possible,” and they work with many other organizations to pursue that mission.
People come from all over to support Busy B and purchase the secondhand items at very low prices.
“We have people that drive from Red Deer and Beaumont to deliver their stuff because of what we do. We sell for so cheap, plus we give money away. Two years ago, we gave just over $40,000 away. Last year we had to do some major repairs. These new floors were $15,000, we had to do some work on the water lines, and fixing two roofs ate up (our funds) but we’re ready to give donations again,” Mosby said.
Kari Janzen
Staff Reporter
