Weird and wacky

Being a store that relies on donations from the community, we are used to seeing some odd items pop up now and then. Lately, the strange donation items have gotten a little stranger. Last week, we received a complete mascot costume. Unfortunately, the costume was discolored and soiled, so we were unable to sell it in our stores, but it is a perfect example of a strange item – a first for our donation attendants.

A couple of weeks ago, one of our store managers called me down to her office to show me some of the strange items that she has come across. As I stepped into her office, she reached into a box unveiling two stuffed turtles. I was shocked initially, but then relieved that it wasn’t something really weird. That’s when she reached back into the box. The next item she pulled out was a small, preserved, shark in a jar. I had never seen anything like this before, and didn’t know if I should be scared or intrigued. While I was there, she also showed me a hand-carved ivory tusk. The tusk is gorgeous, but we are unable to sell it in our stores due to Fish and Wildlife regulations.

The point of this story is to remind our donors that while we value all of the donations we receive, it is important to check through the items you plan on donating before donating them. Some of the weird and wacky items end up being our top sellers, while others present a danger to our employees when they handle the items.

Happy treasure hunting!