A local charitable organization is asking the public to stop dropping off items outside of donation hours.
Cheryl Jefferson, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Huron County, says they've been dealing with a pretty regular issue of people leaving stuff outside the re-store in Wingham.
"These items have been sitting outside, the damp gets at them, animals get at them. So they end up being garbage, which unfortunately becomes an added expense to us to take all this stuff to the landfill," Jefferson bemoaned.
Jefferson says they appreciate any donations, but when stuff is dropped off with no staff there, it becomes wasted. She says recently a full set of dining room chairs were left out and were ruined, and many other common items have been left.
"Boxes with games in them, so the boxes are destroyed because they've all gotten wet. Household goods, metal goods, which then end up getting rusty. Some of the things would have been absolutely wonderful for us to sell in the store, because all the sales go towards our goal of building homes for families. But when they're left out and no one is there to receive them, it's a waste," added Jefferson.
With the holiday season around the corner, Jefferson notes there are some items they're looking for right now if people want to bring them during regular hours.
"Christmas decorations that people aren't gonna use this year, we would love to get them. Building supplies, any renovation materials. We would love to get kitchen cabinetry. Any of those things are just not things that can be left outside, though, for any length of time," Jefferson said.
Jefferson says you can bring donations to the Wingham Habitat for Humanity Re-Store at 680 Josephine Street Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.
You can find more at https://www.habitathuroncounty.ca/restore/.