10-4 Magazine December 2024

10-4 Magazine / December 2024 47 charities sort much of your used clothing again and then dispose of the remaining as unusable. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. On any cold and lonely night, the streets can be brutal, and the winds bite through worn and thin clothing faster than the breeze through a screen door. So many of the homeless and destitute would long to have those discarded items. Just as my barn clothes are not a fashion statement, the people out on the streets would also opt for function over fashion. I can think of times when I would have loved to have a warm snuggle from an ill-fitting, oversized, and/or way too ugly sweater. If you have ever spent the night sleeping in a trash bag or covered by a cardboard box to stay dry when the weather is spitting snow, you can more understand their everyday discomfort. All the while, you have old, waterproof, outdoor gear wasting away out in your storage area. Just how many old sleeping bags do you need to keep? When you are sorting through all this stuff, your mind tells you it will be one of the items that get sorted out and disposed of at the charity. So, put those items in a third pile, which we will call the Samaritan pile. You know you’re not going to use these items anytime soon, but if you do, there are more at the store. These are everyday items that may or may not be out of fashion, but not usefulness. I was very surprised at how much duplicate stuff we have accumulated. After 45 years of marriage, things seem to be multiplying like rabbits in our attic. Every year, when we take a trip, we must get new luggage, or at least a couple travel bags. Most of them get shoved into storage when they should go in the Samaritan pile, after all, just how much luggage do we really need when we travel? These odd bags make great gifts to anyone who doesn’t have a permanent housing arrangement or some way to collect and keep their valuable and often worldly possessions. I often pack a shaving kit, various toiletries, and a hairbrush, then slip it into one of these travel bags, along with an old coat and new socks. Who doesn’t like a pair of new socks? If you have lived on the road for any length of time, you can certainly appreciate a warm, clean, new pair of socks that stay up when you walk. You may ask what I do with the items collected in my Samaritan pile. Those I put in the truck, and when any opportunities present themselves, I give them away, often as payment for help with the truck or when I see someone in need that might be helped. Please keep in mind your personal safety while doing this. My passion is homeless veterans, which is a group that is overlooked and often forgotten in the hustle and bustle of the Holidays. Every person in this life has a value. Their personal self-worth may be at its lowest point, but even then, most folks aren’t looking for a handout, but rather a hand up. When given a choice, most folks don’t want something for nothing. That’s part of the reason why Goodwill and other local charities charge for the items they receive as donations. And, by placing a monetary value on the items for sale, it allows the purchaser to retain their dignity when buying them. Much of the help at our local store is provided by workers with personal challenges or great difficulty working in a traditional setting. Not everyone who shops at thrift stores are low income or no income families. I must admit, we have become hooked on browsing the Goodwill stores in different cities to see what people get rid of – not that we need more stuff, but it is fun. I mention this so if you are not comfortable donating your personal