Greetings Fans and Supporters of the Lincoln Swap Shed from the Zero Waste Lincoln Committee (formerly the Recycling Committee) and Mothers Out Front Lincoln,
What a successful re-opening of the Swap Shed thanks to the collaboration of stellar volunteers, the DPW, Mothers Out Front Lincoln, and all of you-- generous Lincoln residents! You have shown your commitment to the new "Rs": *REFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE, REPURPOSE, RECYCLE/ROT. *Together we can raise awareness about our consumption and shopping habits and take action to change them. There is no "away" when throwing something in the trash; rather it is burned in the Wheelabrator incinerator in North Andover polluting the air of our neighbors and causing asthma and other significant health issues. The earth's resources are finite and cannot be eternally extracted to make more "stuff" for us. This summer has shown us the tipping point towards which we are heading. Some joyful stories from the Swap Shed since April: ~ A smiling, 4 year old "shopper" chooses an 8 year old's beloved firefighter's jacket as his one treasure to bring home on his first ever visit with Dad to the Swap Shed ~ A Caregiver shrieks with delight as she rocks in the perfect chair she will bring home to the elder she cares for ~ A Codman Farm board member is delighted when a neighbor drops off a huge screen perfect for the upcoming Movie nights at the farm ~ A Lincolnite delivers a pint of fresh blueberries for the volunteer on duty one Saturday afternoon There are many vignettes that match these, many instances of neighborly exchange and acts of generosity, many random encounters with old friends and connections made with new ones. A *HUGE THANK YOU *to the *VOLUNTEERS *who have generously devoted hours to greeting neighbors and sorting, cleaning, and tending the voluminous "stuff" that comes to the Swap Shed! This bountiful town resource would not exist without their time and dedication. There are quiet angels who sort books, bring large furniture to ReStore for unhoused folks to decorate their new apartments, deliver baby items to Household Goods in Acton, and resell items on platforms that help all of us *reuse *rather than buy new. Please treat all volunteers and DPW staff with *RESPECT and KINDNESS! * *PLEASE SIGN UP HERE <https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080e48a9ab2ba0f85-swap> TODAY FOR A SHIFT! *We need everyone's help to make this work. ** Remember, all items in the old Swap Shed, regardless of condition, were thrown away at the end of each Wednesday or Saturday. Now a resourceful team works to find new homes for everything to keep useful items out of the incinerator and to reduce the temptation to buy something new from a big box store, where the average life of something is 6 months! *NEW POLICIES: * *~ *In the spirit of finding new homes for everything, Lincolnites who wish to *resell *items are invited to come to the Swap Shed from 2-2:45*pm each Wednesday and Saturday *to take items they would like to resell. Again, in the past, all of these items would have been thrown in the dumpster. ~ *All items must be clean and sorted*. Please wipe and wash everything before coming and only bring items you would want to bring into your home. *~ Unpack your bags and boxes and place all items in the appropriate sections. * The Swap Shed is a community resource run by YOU, Lincoln volunteers and Mothers Out Front Lincoln. Let's work together to make it a happy and fun place to be and show up as our best, most generous, and thoughtful selves. Please reach out directly with any questions or suggestions to Emily Haslett of Mothers Out Front Lincoln at *emhasl...@gmail.com <emhasl...@gmail.com>. * With gratitude for our town's cooperation and commitment to each other, to our neighbors near and far, and to positive change for the planet, 🌻🌍Mothers Out Front Lincoln and the Zero Waste Lincoln Committee
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