The sun shone brightly on the morning of October 10 as a U-Haul truck and other vehicles pulled up to the loading dock of a warehouse in Kent. With masks in hand, gang members tumbled out, ready to execute the plan.
Thus commenced the Great Toilet Paper Caper of 2022.
In September, Bryce Caldwell, a Fauntleroy Church member, reached out to Pastor Karyn Frazier about a huge stash of leftovers from Microsoft events that had to vacate the warehouse. She passed the information along to Doug Gunwaldsen, coordinator of the church's Homelessness Task Force, who quickly realized that this “surplus” represented an extraordinary opportunity to help scores of needy people in West Seattle and White Center.
Planners for upcoming events had been ordering fresh supplies without knowing what was already on hand in the warehouse as surplus from prior events. Consequently, a LOT of new, unopened stuff had accumulated there. The storage bill became so large that something had to be done with it all.
Bryce suggested that, rather than trash it, the company let a nonprofit (us!) take what it could use. That sounded like a good idea at first but it initially got a thumb's down from higher ups. Bryce persisted, though, and soon the caper was back on.
A reconnaissance visit confirmed that a huge stash of good stuff was there for the taking. Toilet paper and other consumables could benefit sheltered and unsheltered guests at the weekly Welcome Table as well as residents at Camp Second Chance. Appliances and other "nesting" things could help asylum-seekers equip new homes. Hazelwood Preschool and area churches could share in the bounty.
Shortly after our gang arrived, warehouse workers Jeff and Zach began peeling away shrink wrap from pallets, and hand trucks were soon crisscrossing the expanse. Masks went back in pockets as bodies warmed to the task. "Let's take this!" "How could we put these to good use?" “Who needs this?” "Be sure to make room for these new refrigerators!"
After a couple of fast-paced hours, the gang hit the road. Almost 3,000 rolls of toilet paper, boxes of hygiene items, humidifiers, cleaning supplies and equipment, bean bags, humidifiers, coffee makers, refrigerators, and things too numerous to list filled the 20’ U-Haul and one pickup!
By mid-afternoon, a portion of the loot was in temporary storage on the stage at Fauntleroy Church, things for the Welcome Table were in storage at Holy Rosary Church, and delivery of the rest was being arranged.
Would the gang do another caper? You bet!
(Joan Gregory, Gordi Mandt, Mary Code, and Cinda Stenger pitched in, too, but missed the photo op.)
