RR response to diabetes Clothesline drive spectacular

Ken Johnston
Editor

What an overwhelming response!
Rainy River Drugs was contacted in late September to see if they wanted to help the Canadian Diabetes Association(CDA) out with its Clothesline program.
Pharmacist Sara Berg agreed to have the store hand out information and bags for the program. The program involves people bagging old clothing, household items, etc. for pick up by CDA. “We did that but people were uncertain what to do with the items they had for pickup. So I said they could bring it to the store,” said Berg. However, she did not expect the response to be what it was. “I thought we had ample room in the warehouse but we were overwhelmed!” The free space in the warehouse was quickly filled and then the items kept coming so they started putting them in the garage.
CDA gave RR Drugs 200 bags and info. pkgs. but many people brought items in regular garbage bags plus the CDA bags.
Last Wednesday CDA sent a truck to pick up the donations and when driver Bob Carron started helping the staff load the 24’ truck he never expected the amount from the community. About half of the truck’s capacity was filled by the Clothesline collection at Rainy River Drugs and he still had to stop at both seniors apartment buildings and do a drive around town to see if anything was put out by people to be picked up. “This is really impressive for a small town of 1,000 people,” said Carron.
That is how the program is supposed to work. People get an information package an bag(s) from the drug store and then a date is set for pick up. Well some did that, but the vast majority brought it to the drug store. “We will do this again,” said Berg, “It is for a good cause!”
CDA takes the items to Value Village and receives cash by the pound. Last year the program collected over 80 million pounds across Canada.
The money paid to CDA is used locally for diabetes research.
The program is ongoing and people can call a toll free number any time to find out when the next pick up in the area will be. The number is 1-800-505-5525.
Items they will pick up include used clothing, towels, draperies, toys, jewelry, linens, shoes, dishes, knick-knacks, cell phones/pdas and furniture in some locations.
Items they WON’T accept include large appliances (freezers, washer/dryers, fridges), opened containers of paint or other liquid substances, oil, gas or water heaters, building supplies, sofa-beds, cribs, walkers, playpens, car seats, swing sets, ping pong tables, carpet, newpapers, magazines, pet cages, gas bbq’s, food, coil or slat springs for beds or badly soiled furniture.
To learn more about Clothesline log onto the CDA site at www.diabetes.ca and click on services.