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Automatic Washer - The world's coolest Washing Machines, Dryers and Dishwashers

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kenmoreforever

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May 17, 2009
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Are you guys failiar with Goodwill thrift stores? I'm sure you are are but anyways, I found on the 99 cent rack a porcelain miniature ashtray from Germany. It had evidently been donated by an antiques dealer or something because it had a price sticker on the front that had it posted originally at 50.00, then marked 50% off of that price. I guess they went out of business and donated a few knick knacks to Goodwill.
 
Found today

Stopped by at a Boy Scout rummage sale to fund a trip. This attachment pack was UNUSED and complete for $10. My Kitchenaid is going to be one happy mixer!

RCD

6-13-2009-17-53-32--RedCarpetDrew.jpg
 
nice find, but I can't stand goodwill....

I was in one last weekend, overheard a guy with four kids trying to buy a beat up wringer washer for his last 50.00 in his pocket (they wanted 60.00) and he didn't have enough money plus tax, the manager would not negotiate with him and he was seriously begging, he was a single father and wanted at least to have a wringer rather than pay to go to a laundromat, with 4 kids i'm sure he had some laundry, they had automatics but the prices were too high for his budget, I couldn't help but to butt in and offer to pay the difference, which he refused, so I asked this guy if I could help in another way, he was upset that this stuff is donated to them and he thought they were there to help unfortunate people, we stepped outside and I made a call to Habitat for Humanity ReStore and talk to the guy there and explained the situation and asked if he had any used machines, well he did and said to send the guy over and he'll work with him, I gave the guy directions and my phone number in case the machine may need work at a later time, cause this is what we do...repair,...well it turns out he got an automatic washer and dryer and a bunk bed set for 50.00...he had to call me last night, in tears, thanking me for the helping him and his children, he said they spent the first night oddly watching the machine wash clothes, I think we have a few future AW members in the making...

It's hard enough for anyone with or without children to make it sometimes and thats why these places like this are supposed to be there to help, and for the most part they do, but it seems some are there for the profit, but I really think the best charity is people helping each other, it only cost me a phone call and a few minutes of time, I don't want praise for this, it just upset me also that they wouldn't help this guy out, and I just happen to be in the right place at the right time, my fortune is that I may have a new friend also... funny to see someone get excited over a used machine... I thought that only happened to me!...lol

I have shopped there alot because I believed they helped and its for a good cause....now I have to wonder! I don't want to bash these places, this situation just hit me as odd, that's all....thanks for listening
 
Good job, Martin!

It's things like what you did that give me hope for the human race. I, too, will do the occasional charity repair which my boss leaves up to my descretion. Karma is a very real thing...

RCD
 
If Goodwill had had a price tag of $50 on this washer, someone would have been standing there begging them to sell it for $40.

I'm not trying to be a hardass here, I'm just pointing out the fact that Goodwill is a charitable, non-profit organization. The $10 discount this guy was asking for would have been at the expense of someone else who's disadvantaged, not at the expense of the company or this store manager.

Anyway, thanks to you it turned out for the best.
 
Well done....

My father recently had a similar situation happen to him. Christmas gone my parents decided to update some of the mattresses, lounge, fridge and TV at their holiday home...so dad took the old, but clean, mattresses, lounge chairs, fridge and old TV with its 'greening' screen to the Salvation Army.....who dutifully knocked him back.

Just as he was getting in the Ute to take them to the dump, a man pulled up and asked him had he just bought them...to which my father replied 'No, they don't want them so I'm taking them to the dump'....Apparently, this chap had literally nothing and he wanted to know if dad would take $100 for them...to which dad said you can have them for free and if you're headed home I'll drop them off now....

Dad commented that there wasn't a stick of furniture in this house and it wasn't just the man, but rather a family of 4...

There are many people out there with less than we have and it does anger me (slightly) that charity shops are not always as charitable as they could be
 
The Goodwill here has a weekly auction that you can bid on washers and dryers. They are sold as is only and you cantwatch em work.
 
Every situation is different...

you had to be there...if a person is broke down on the side of the road, manicured nails, clean shaven and dressed in an Armani suit and driving a Hummer...

OR

1989 Ford F150, four irritated children, single man dressed in his mechanics uniform, groceries in the back.

Who would you really help? not by appearance just to say, but your senses tell you he's having a rough day, and a little help will make it seem a little better....

you just don't see anyone helping an elderly person cross the street anymore...or just common courtesy, hold open a door, tip your hat, age before beauty...

actually this happened last summer, a lady with 3 kids knocked on my door, she broke down, cell wouldn't work, we live in a rural area, she walked about 1/4 mile and she just wanted to call AAA, which I knew the towing company and called them direct for her but she would still have an hour wait, offered for her to stay here in the AC, but refused and said she'll walk back to the van and wait, I gave her a ride back to her van and got a box with some can soda's a cracker's to help keep the kids calm for the bad situation...

Now it's not always safe out there...and some situations can turn dangerous...but your gut tells you that it's the right thing to do sometimes...just be cautious

better yet...give your garbage man a Xmas card with 20.00...only my trash cans are always lined up on my lawn with the lids intact not thrown across the yard....when the gas company ran a new line down the front of the neighborhood, I gave water and sodas and chips to these guys, my lawn was leveled and replaced like nothing was ever touched, can't say that for the neighbors who complained about them being there.....

a little consideration goes a very long way....
 
I wont even donate to Goodwill.......

The Goodwill store where I live is nothing more than a big rip-off.
They certainly aren't here to help the less fortunate.
The prices they charge ...well....you could go to WalMart and buy new.
The furniture I saw was junk with a high price tag.
Habitat for Humanity is the place to go for furniture and appliances. The stuff you see in the store is better quality and alot cheaper than Goodwill.

I also will not donate anything to Red Cross.
When I was in Nam, the Red Cross was there trying to sell us coffee.
When my Mom needed blood for a surgery she had, she couldnt get it from Red Cross. And thats after I had donated over 2 gallons of my rare blood to the Red Cross.
I want nothing to do with them ever again.

The Salvation Army I will donate to.
When I was in Nam, the Salvation Army was there giving out stuff to the troops. Shaving kits, cigs, free coffee and free donuts. Every so often they came with steak dinners ! For free !!

I have nothing bad to say about the Salvation Army.
They are good people !

~~~steps down from my soap box ~~~
 
Goodwill

A friend of mine is a high-school teacher, and had a "stinky kid" problem. He bought the kid some soap and shampoo, told him that he could shower at school, and went to Goodwill to see if he could get him some clothes donated. Goodwill refused. He called Goody's (which was still open), and they loaded him up with clothes, underwear, and even shoes.

Once something crosses the back of Goodwill, they're all about the money for it. It's certainly not the charity shop that many places are. You would think that giving some merchandise away or haggling about the price would be well worth it in the future good will that person may be able to give to them later. Perhaps they'll become wealthy...I know that sort of thing would be remembered when it came time to write checks. It goes up the chain, too. If they hold back from United Way for supporting Goodwill, that has an effect across many different agencies. A smart manager, no matter the business, has to know that there are times to bend rules. That manager wasn't risking anything over $10 on a wringer washing machine but future donations from that guy as well as Yogitunes and anyone else within earshot.
 
I'm with you Yogi...

When I was renting not far from here I asked the agency if they knew a 'good house cleaner'...they did and gave me her details...

Well Tina was a flash of lightening when it came to cleaning a 2bedroom house...45min and it was done from top to bottom...and that included sometimes making beds with clean linen

I was only paying $35.00 to have this done and one day she said she needed to talk to me about the money I was paying her...she said it was too much and that $25 was all that was needed as she was here less than 45min normally as the house was tidy, just needed cleaning.

I was gobsmacked....

At Easter I left her a box of chocs and her boys a novelty mug/egg....and she left the money in the draw that week...

At Christmas I left her a small made up hamper...and I got a note that effectively said that '..you have been the only person that has given me and my family a gift for not only Easter, but Christmas too...this one is on me too'

I was touched that she appreciated it, but I was annoyed that other people didn't do it....

In an era when people generally don't have a 'staff', I personally feel that if you have people do your gardening, ironing and mundane aspects of the housework...they are 'staff' and I firmly believe in thanking them at holiday time too...

k
 
Well, without getting the store manager's side of this story I won't venture a judgment about him. However, to rag on Goodwill in general is ridiculous IMO. They don't make a dime of profit on their operation, and they've helped millions of Americans with free job training and placement over the years.

It's great work IMO, at least compared to some other charities, e.g. Habitat for Humanity, which is simply communism with a fake, born-again Christian face on it.

 
JeffG, they aren't making profit, and that's not their declared purpose. What they are doing is under the auspices of "community service," and they're choosing who and who not to serve by being inflexible. For all their talk about in their ads about giving people purpose and dignity, these stories are about turning away people in desperate circumstances because "that's not what we do." That's why it's fair to criticise them-obviously, this thinking permeates the entire organization. It looks bad. If it appeared to be one rogue manager, then fine, but the repeated stories from many sources show that it isn't. They aren't serving a community, they are choosing only to serve the ones who work there.

I work for an assistance/aid agency, and bending over backwards is an everyday occurance there. I work several hours every weekend catching up the mundane stuff so that I'm better able to handle sudden stuff on a daily basis. My boss, his boss, and those above them ALL expect that we don't work the place like it's on rails. I took 3 rolls of my own film to a lady a few weeks ago so that she could take pictures with her family when she hadn't planned ahead to get a ride to buy any. I can't even count the number of times that someone there did something not in the job description to serve someone who needed it. It's not always fun, but it's the compassionate way to do it. That's why it bothers me that Goodwill isn't working that way.
 
I'd rather give than recieve, I think my nature is one of service rather than to lead, I do better as a right hand man, busy work keeps me occupied, I feel better hosting a party rather than one given to me as the center of attention...maybe its how I was raised, we didn't have much money and material things but you had clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and plenty of food on the table, and Mummy was always concerned about people coming to visit and hope she was a good hostest and her children were well behaved....I always think about this, and to me this was more valuable than any amount of money and I knew what it was like to do without, so you kinda pick up on people in this scenario who are trying hard just to make ends meet for whatever reason, that maybe they or their children will remember these were the best times of their lives and will construct them into better persons for it, I know I am a better person inside for what I was taught by my parents, and thats maybe where in actuality I'm very shy and modest. Any one who knows me, knows its hard for me to walk up to someone and start chatting, it's just easy if I can show a hidden talent, and maybe suprise someone with a little help, and then back down under the bleachers and take joy in their happiness....we have 2 adopted twins, and I hope this instills into them for when they grow up, soon to adopt more with a little luck, my limit would be 5, My dream would be 10...I am 7 of 7 kids, my mother was 7 of 7, and my dad was 15 of 21...bigger just seemed to bond us closer together...Mummy always said life is like a road trip, a few bumps in the road, maybe a flat tire, meet a few people, but all in all, a nice ride!....some of her best friends were phone calls with the wrong number!

ps...I have always called her Mummy, it was our own bond, and she knew it was from me if I wrote this on the envelope...you couldn't fool her without it!
 
My 1961 Kenmore washer and dryer (in yellow!)

I hav'nt started working on them yet, but they are a GREAT find! Beautiful shape, and only $15 per machine! St. Vincent De Paul.
 
You Did Good, Yogi

Without passing judgement on any of the charities mentioned, I'll just say Yogi gave a boost to a man and his kids who needed one. Clean clothes can do so much for one's self-esteem.
 
I don't want to make a big deal of this situation...

its just we all shop thrift stores and are proud of our "finds" and want to brag at the price that we were able to haggle down, some people are ashamed of the fact that they have to shop there, it's a matter of pride i'm sure, and I understand, no judgement intended,...and we all like to "show and tell"....heck I would have given him my old wringer if that would have helped...for the most part they are there for helping the community...lets not blow this out of proportion...I just helped out and went about my day and didn't give it another thought, he called back to say thanks and that wasn't necessary, but nice...life goes on...

I only told the story, because of the phone call explaining how they sat up all night doing laundry and watching the machine......

Sound like anyone we know around here?....this was funny to me, and thats what i wanted to share, just wished there was a camera....

BUT, BACK TO OUR THREAD....AND "SHOW AND TELL" US WHAT YOU FOUND THIS WEEKEND?

no pics, but I got a neptune set,mah5500, for 225.00, was asking $300, needs a little clean up, works good otherwise, washer has an ocassional squeek, may need bearings, finally my chance to tear into one....the dryer just needs cleaned out from the dust build up...already have a set like it, will look cool all 4 lined up with the control panels "wave" across the room...I will get pics soon....
 

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