Donate Household Essentials, Save 20 Percent
When I started working on spring events, I really wanted to do something for Earth Day. My sister teased me about the idea. During my first twenty years in Alexandria, I would sometimes fill up my gas tank no more than once a month since I walked everywhere, and we do recycle (but I still can’t get the list straight of what recycling Alexandria accepts and my husband is always pulling glass out of the bin) but you won’t find me composting. Although my mother did. I also clearly don’t like fast fashion. I have even tried to teach my daughter about buying nice things that last. The Europeans get this and always dress better than we do.
In honor of Earth Day, I had originally planned to host a clothing drive at the store where customers would receive a discount for every item they brought. Then I got a text message and I think I got an even better idea.
If you know Sue Setliff you know she gets stuff done. She has a list of women to whom she reached out during Covid when she collected donations for some local families in need. I don’t think I realized at the time it was called the Education Equity Fund of Alexandria. It started as a grassroots effort to pay retired teachers to meet with 25 students referred by social workers who needed extra help. Over the years, the effort has grown to help a group of entire families in Alexandria when they have specific needs. It can be tutoring, providing a washing machine, a mattress, and beyond.
Back to the text message…Sue asked folks to donate specific personal care items for a family that was picking between paying bills and getting the things they need for household and personal care. So, I decided what a great way for our customers to help people right here in our community.
Here is how it will work: from Thursday, April 20 to Sunday, April 23, for each item you bring in from the list below you will receive 20 percent on an item. So, if you bring in 3 tubes of toothpaste you get 20 percent off 3 items at any of the 3 stores.
We will have collection boxes at each store, and we will give you a coupon for each item that you can use at any store all weekend. So maybe it isn’t a recycle and reuse event but in my opinion, it is even better. We are helping people who need a little extra help.
