Gold River residents organized a creative ‘curbside giveaway’ over the weekend to encourage sustainable recycling of household items.
Organized by residents Jeannie Maddock and Linda Vandenberg, the giveaway was a fun initiative to find new owners for gently used items rather than having to discard them.
On Saturday, people placed furniture, garden tools, toys, electronics and silver ware among other things on their curbside with a ‘free’ sign next to it. People were welcome to come and pick up items anytime between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
‘Just because one person does not have use for an item, it doesn’t mean someone else can’t use it, said Maddock.
With the local thrift store and recycling depot closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Maddock realized that the giveaway was a good way for people to get rid of things they didn’t need anymore.
It was also an attempt to encourage recycling, promote sustainability and foster a sense of community.
Maddock and Vandenberg, checked how other places had done similar giveaways and formulated a list of rules for Gold River residents to follow while participating in the curbside giveaway.
Residents were told to keep away from wandering on people’s lawns, not take anything from the curbside unless it was marked ‘free,’ and to clear out things from the curbside as soon as the time was up. “Everyone was very respectful,” said Maddock.
Most Gold River residents participated in the event and Maddock said that it was good to see people cruising through the lanes, conversing with their neighbors and finding some great treasures to take home.
The next curbside giveaway is slotted for August 22, said Maddock and added that they plan to organize these events until the thrift store reopens.
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