For years the dumpster at the Salvation Army "Friendly Kitchen" stood discreetly beside the building on Partition Street, sometimes overflowing and unsightly but usually not bothering anyone very much. In recent days, however, it has been moved to the extreme southwest corner of the parking lot, next to the sidewalk and close to the intersection of Third and Allen streets--the first intersection people encounter when they enter Hudson on Route 9G--and it's bothering a lot of people a lot.Salvation Army officials say that the Health Department told them the dumpster in its original location was too close to the kitchen door, but neighbors are complaining that its new location is unacceptable. The situation was especially bad in the past day or so, when the stench emanating from the dumpster was noticeable to anyone coming anywhere near that corner on foot or in a car, as well as to nearby residents and business owners. According to one report, the Salvation Army had been given a "freezerful of bad meat." Instead of refreezing it when they discovered the problem and waiting to discard it until the trash hauler was about to empty the dumpster, they put it in the dumpster immediately, where it grew more and more putrefied--and more and more malodorous--as time went by.
Neighbors have appealed to the Code Enforcement Office and even to the police to remedy the problem. A Salvation Army representative said he was hoping someone would "give them a fence" to put around the dumpster, but a fence is unlikely to make the appearance of the dumpster in its present location any more acceptable in the middle of a historic district and at a gateway to the city, and it will do nothing to ameliorate the odor of rotting food waste.
The homeless have to eat, also. Sometimes as human beings, we are required to tolerate trifles where it benefits humanity to do so. Maybe try hanging some air fresheners or donating some Lysol instead of chronically complaining. Considering it is an all-volunteer effort for the less fortunate, complaining about it is just in poor taste and is very crass. I have more respect for the dumpster than I do those complaining about it.
ReplyDeleteThe homeless do have to eat as do many people that have homes and simply can't afford food. The people getting food do not deserve to wait in line for their food smelling a dumpster full of rotten meat. The dumpster should be emptied and moved ! It is Salvation Army volunteers that are complaining along with the neighborhood that regularly supply the Salvation Army with food for their much needed kitchen. btw any donation of Lysol (or food) would be greatly appriciated.
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