FINDERS KEEPERS Shoppers, donators not losers or weepers at Furniture Amnesty Day

What was old to some became new to others Friday at City Park as people picked up used items during Furniture Amnesty Day. An annual event, Furniture Amnesty Day traditionally takes place during the last Friday of July with residents donating their used furniture. As people donate, others are allowed to come through and pick it up free of charge.

Residents could start signing up around 8 a.m. Friday to pick up items from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., depending on the time slot they got. Volunteer Phillip Haslouer, 28, said people were in line around 6:30 a.m., so they could be the first ones at 8 a.m. to get their name on the list. He said multiple people spotted an electric couch, describing a Black Friday-like atmosphere. Haslouer, who has volunteered at the event for four years, said he was helping out during the day because some of his friends were stopping by to pick things up. He said he helps out because it’s hard getting people willing to lift heavy couches or recliners.

Residents picked up various things like couches, chairs, dressers, stands and tables. Any furniture left after 4 p.m. Friday was open to the public.

Megan Davidson, 26, was looking for a new dresser for her son, William. “I think it’s a great way to rid of old furniture that’s going to go to the dump, and it’s an awesome opportunity for people who cannot afford new furniture with how expensive everything is,” Davidson said.

Davidson said dressers can cost hundreds of dollars for a decent one, and finding one for free would allow her to gift the old one to somebody else. Audrey Waters, 63, said she was on the hunt for chairs to put at her dining room table and a table to put by her door, so she could set heavy things on while she is unlocking the door. She also was searching for a clothes rack.

Cindy Louk, 56, was looking for a recliner. She said the day helps in two ways. “One ... when (residents) get rid of furniture, they don’t just throw it anywhere or just leave it on the sidewalk forever, and they don’t just throw it in the ditch,” Louk said. “Two, it repurposes that furniture for other people who could use it. It’s free to them, it’s free to come, so it’s the perfect price.”

Gia Vargas, 23, was hunting for more furniture for her and her roommate’s house. At last year’s event, she got a couple of couches, a desk and a dresser. She was back again this year for two more couches and a dresser. HandsOn, a club at Kansas State University that helps students and local residents get connected to volunteer opportunities, assisted with the event.

Karina Moncayo-Michel, HandsOn programs assistant, said this is an opportunity to give back to the community.

Moncayo-Michel said it’s a good event to see people come together and a good way to keep recycling. She said it is also nice for college students who need new things for their dorm rooms. “The city really started this because they noticed that during move-out times in the summer that furniture was getting left out on the curb and getting ruined,” she said. “It was causing a lot of risk during the summer, so this event kind of helped to mitigate that.”