Salvation Army hits campus for donations

The Salvation Army's University of Arizona Campus Cleanup Campaign started today and will last through May 17.

"We've really had more inquiries today than donations," said Jesse Orta, a Salvation Army truck monitor. "We've had mostly donations of mostly clothes."

Drop-off sites for reusable goods and donations will be located across from Arizona Stadium at the corner of East Seventh Street and North Cherry Avenue, and in the Coronado Residence Hall parking lot at the corner of East Fifth Street and North Tyndall Avenue. Donation trailers will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.

"Before they had to call for a truck. Now we are here on campus," Orta said. "I'm pretty sure we will fill the truck as soon as the word gets out."

The collected items are sold in a Salvation Army thrift store, the closest of which is 2717 S. Sixth Ave. The donations are tax-deductible and receipts will be available on-site.

Proceeds from the drive will go to Tucson Adult Rehabilitation Center, a facility that helps people recover from alcohol and drug addiction.

"Students who donate goods are helping save people's lives that are dominated by drug or alcohol addiction," said Bill Krownes, the center's business manager.

The six-month residential program includes work therapy, one-on-one counseling, group therapy and chemical dependency education. Nationwide, there are more than 152 rehabilitation centers that serve more than 15,000 recovering drug users and alcoholics.

Although this is the first year that the Tucson Salvation Army has teamed up with the University of Arizona, Krownes is hopeful that the sites will bring in goods.

"We don't get any money from the state. The money from the Tucson thrift stores supports this facility," Krownes said. "The more money we get, the more resources we can get and the more people we can help."

Coronado hall director Kelly Horn said that students who typically throw things away at the end of the school year should donate.

"I think that donation in general is a really good thing," Horn said.