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Bottle theft lowers non-profit's donation total

Bottles left out for donation were collected by someone else before volunteers arrived

A local non-profit society's bottle drive wasn't as successful last Saturday as it could have been, after someone stole the recyclables.

The DoJo Exchange is a Mission group which came together in February, and raises money to purchase food hampers for families or seniors in need.

Volunteers delivered about 300 garbage bags with an information sheet stapled to them to Mission homes last week, noting they would return on Saturday to collect the cans from the curb.

But according to Elena Becker, DoJo member-at-large and fundraiser organizer, an unscrupulous person or persons helped themselves to some of the clearly marked bags in the Kudo/Fujino streets area before volunteers could arrive.

The organization raised just over $450, which is substantially lower than many other drives that happen in Mission, which regularly collect around $1,000, she said.

Becker added they will do a bottle drive again, but are unsure how to prevent a repeat of last Saturday's disheartening affair.

"We're here to help people," said Becker. "If these people are in a place where they feel they need to do that, come forward and let the community help you."

For more information on the group, visit its Facebook page, The DoJo Exchange.