Help our op shops by donating during opening hours

While the community's generous contributions are welcomed by Wangaratta's op shops, locals are being reminded to drop off their donations during opening hours, to help avoid them being strewn across shopfronts. Vincent Road's Uniting Church Op Shop recently posted on Facebook, seeking the community's help in not donating between 6pm and 7am, and not leaving donations on the footpath in front of the store. This is due to the constant problem of people opening and searching through donation bags, creating a mess and leaving donated items open to the elements, which makes them unsaleable. "If we could stop people leaving things overnight for the 'night raiders', that would help a lot, because things being left on the street is one of the biggest problems," volunteer Jan Croucher said. "If donations can be dropped in between 10am and 4pm daily, either into the donation bin or brought into the shop, it would be wonderful." Fellow volunteer Geoff Dinning said the donation bin next to the shop filled up quickly, but was regularly emptied during the day. He said there were plans for a larger bin which would be more difficult to access by the 'raiders' who dropped in at all times of the night. Cameras positioned around the store don't seem to have presented a deterrent, with vision even showing a person holding the feet of another who was fossicking through the bin for donations. Volunteer hours at the Uniting Church Op Shop are also required each week to clean up when rubbish bins are left out for council collection, and scavengers search through them and leave the contents strewn across the footpath. Geoff said there was nothing to gain from searching through the bins, which literally contained rubbish, but it was a weekly concern for the op shop. Whole bins have even been stolen at this time. "We're all volunteers, and you see this happen and say, 'Oh, not again'," Jan said. "It's disheartening. "Most people are so good, and we can service the community by making these good, clean items available through the shop, and we do get so many good items donated." Jan and Geoff said they wanted to ensure the items made it to the destination their donors intended - being sold in the shop. The op shop also makes significant contributions back into the community, with donations from proceeds of sales going to Northeast Health Wangaratta's oncology unit, Loaves and Fishes - Christians Caring, NESAY, and Zac's Place. Items are also supplied to the Wangaratta police station, Northeast Health Wangaratta and Kerferd Unit, for those requiring emergency clothes. Wangaratta's Salvos Store also occasionally experiences donations being left outside and then dumped in a messy heap outside its Rowan Street store. Andrea Menzies, northern regional area Salvos Stores manager, said the charity also encouraged people to donate during opening hours, rather than leaving them overnight in front of the shop. "It's much better if people donate during opening hours, so the items can be processed during that time," she said.

Help our op shops by donating during opening hours

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