Yes, the words for Wednesday are Disappointed and Thankful.
First-Disappointed. The arrangements I made with the Big Brothers organization were kind of a bust. They were supposed to show up on Monday to take the items we carefully boxed and clearly labeled with B.B. so the driver knew what to take. I arrived at the church around 10A.M. with the other ladies to clean up and organize the items. I called the manager’s office and confirmed the pick-up with his secretary and tried to pin point the time of the truck’s arrival. She said he’d be there between 1and 2 P.M. I had to leave so I left my cell number with the church and told them to call with any problems. I dusted myself off and went home happy to be done with my job.
Tuesday I planned a relaxing day. Tuesday before noon I received a call from the church office that Big Brothers never made the pick-up and the basketball court needed to be empty and clean for the volunteer’s dinner later on in the evening! Yikes! I called Big Bros. and ran to the church to see for myself. When I arrived the caretaker told me the truck came, the driver took one of the 20 TVs, a couple of bags, a box and left because his truck was already half full with other stuff! That was NOT supposed to happen! I called B.B. again and spoke to the manager telling him I was not happy with their service. They did this to us last year too, but I had decided to let them try again. He said he spoke to the driver and that he did come, and picked up boxes outside the building, that they looked rifled with, and certain items like ironing boards were too big for their truck! Well, he must have taken garbage because we stacked the boxes inside the building! He then said he’d send the truck again later in the day. I told the caretaker and he hurriedly said they would stack the boxes and items outside so the truck could just pick up. Fine. I packed my own truck with whatever I thought they might not take and drove with all of it to the nearest Salvation Army.
Later in the afternoon I received a call from the B.B. manager saying they were able to pick up the boxes but the 20 TVs were no where. So where did they go? I’m thinking the caretaker didn’t feel like moving them and tossed them in the dumpster. Who knows what else went in the dumpster! You know what? It was out of my hands by then, I did what I could.
Second word-Thankful. You bet, I’m so thankful it’s over.
I know just how you feel – I once arranged (after many calls) to donate books to a VFW post for veterans and to send over seas to the troops. They never came and after many calls again, they didn’t show up. I ended up putting the boxes at the curb with a Free Books sign one day. By late afternoon they were all gone.
Thanks for commenting Martha!
A friend owns a book store and publishing company in Queens and he was so happy to take all our leftover books, thank goodness. There were hundreds! I need to check out other places to donate this stuff for next year.