Volunteer Sue Warne: Pitching In for Reuse

 Volunteer Sue Warne: Pitching In for Reuse

If you stop by the BBR Reuse Center on a Monday, you may see Jamaica Plain resident Sue Warne hard at work. Sue is one of the many volunteers who contribute to the daily work of the Reuse Center.

 Sue worked for many years as an editor. After going freelance, she leveraged her newfound schedule flexibility to step up volunteer efforts in the community. She started at Boston Building Resources in 2022.

 “I really think reuse is an amazing tool for managing our resources, but it’s a difficult one. You’ve got to match the item to the person. And, especially before social media, there weren’t that many successful ways of doing that,” she says. But BBR has been one of them, so she began volunteering several hours each week to support the mission.

 One thing Sue likes about her work at BBR is that every day is different. “It’s always fun to see what people donate. There are always surprises and oddities.” One of those oddities was a 1927 Magic Chef stove that Sue cleaned and spiffed up to make it ready for sale.

 She also enjoys working with the staff and other volunteers. “I like the feeling of working together. Everyone pitches in to do whatever needs to be done,” she says. “I like the teamwork, the problem solving.”

 Sue has also expanded her knowledge while researching donated items. “Over the course of learning what something is, I learn about plumbing or electricity or some other specialty. This has been an interesting aspect that I hadn’t anticipated.”

 Sue wishes more people knew that BBR is a resource for donating reusable items as well as shopping for bargains. “More than once, I’ve seen my neighbors put stuff out in the trash that really should be donated,” she said.

 “I think it’s a great organization that’s done terrific work,” Sue said. “BBR needs community support.” If you’re looking for a place to volunteer, come give it a try!