Ever heard of Freecycle?

Recently I volunteered to be a moderator for our local freecycle group.  I'm still in the learning process but I think it could prove to be, if nothing else, interesting and a way to get to know some fellow Arlington'ers.    I've been reading over our Mission statement and thought I would share this with you all.  There are multiple locales for freecycle.  This particular one is for Arlington, TN. 

Arlington Freecycle Mission Statement

We understand there is a lot of hardship in our area. There are many people with needs. With that being said, we must remind our members of the mission of The Freecycle Network(TM).  We were founded as a recycling community. The fundamental mission of this group is to keep useful items out of landfills. This, alone, is a critical mission with long-reaching global effects that will positively effect generations to come.

There are many charities that deal with specifics of helping families and individuals with temporary needs during times of hardship. Even though the side effect of giving items away with "no strings attached" is that we fulfill needs at times, this is not the reason our group was formed.

As moderators we are assigned to keep this group focused on the mission for which it was formed. Sometimes we need to remind members that if you choose to be here, you also choose to follow the guidelines of the group. We make it clear in all the files and on the opening page of the group what our mission is. We do not allow posts with long explanations of hardship and need. In order to ask for an item on Freecycle, you do not need to explain your reasoning for wanting it. You simply ask. Of course, by the same token, we do not guarantee that all who ask will receive the requested items.

If you are unsure of the rules of Freecycle, please go to our homepage and read the text on that page. If that is not sufficiently clear, the rules are reiterated and detailed in our Files section. If you are still unsure, please drop us an email and we will point you in the right direction. Thanks.

Your Arlington Freecycle Moderator Team

I am looking forward to learning more about freecycle & assisting my neighbors in recycling items they might otherwise just toss out.  Time to get the word out!  If you live in Arlington or one of the surrounding cities & have something you would like to post to freecycle please go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ArlingtonTN_Freecycle/ 

If you have any questions, please let me know!  I'll try to respond as quickly as possible.

Thanks!