PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Food Bank was turning other people’s trash into cash on Sunday.
The annual Port Angeles “Dump Day” allowed residents to drop off a load of trash at the Port Angeles Regional Transfer Station for a $10 donation to the food bank.
“We are able to purchase about 90 pounds of food with just $10,” said Josie Gilbeck, Port Angeles Food Bank executive director.
The food bank made $6,431.16 at the fundraiser — which roughly translates into 57,880 pounds of food it will be able to buy.
The food bank is able to purchase more food with money than donations because it can buy in bulk and as a charitable organization.
Numerous televisions, a host of refrigerators, old mattresses, tables and other items made their way into the station on Sunday.
“This is a great deal for the whole community,” said Helen Freilich, waste reduction specialist for the city of Port Angeles.
Although the event might not have broken the record of 715 people in 2007, more than 600 turned up, Gilbeck said.
The final count was being tallied on Sunday night.
The cost for dropping off loads is measured by weight, so some of the people would have been paying upward of $100.
The traffic was steady throughout the day, Gilbeck said.
“It has been great because Helen has really done a great job encouraging people not to show up early in the morning,” she said.
“So they have been coming all day and it hasn’t gotten too backed up.”
The first stop for donors was the payment tent, then the scales.
The total tons of junk dumped has yet to be counted, Freilich said of the process that volunteers are doing manually.
“This is a wonderful event for the community and the public, as well as the people who use the food bank, and it has really turned into our second largest fundraiser of the year after the radiothon,” said Jon McKissick, vice president of the food bank board.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.