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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – A Nashville church has been dealing with illegal dumping. A buildup of junk has been creating problems for church members and their local charity.
One church leader said this may be the end of one program they used to help the community.
The church has been dealing with what church leaders call unwanted junk including the following:
- A dirty mattress
- Three couches
- Two pillows
The junk has not only created an eyesore but has started to block off parts of the parking spots and is getting in the way of the church’s blessing box.
“Basically we are being used as a dumping ground,” Mike Sullivan a church leader at Wingate Church of Christ said.
About a year ago, Sullivan wanted people to start leaving large toys and small furniture in the parking lot of Wingate Church of Christ. But in the past couple of months, those small pieces of junk turned into a bigger issue.
“Every month or two somebody leaves some junk and we have to dispose of it,” Sullivan said. “All of a sudden when you drive up the hill, this is what you see.”
For weeks Sullivan has had to haul off dirty mattresses, broken down cabinets, tables and couches.
“It gives the wrong impression because with this out there somebody else drives along and they are too lazy to go to the dump or too cheap,” Sullivan explained. “So they say ‘okay, we’ll leave our stuff here’ and that tends to grow.”
Sullivan believed the dumping may have started with people trying to donate large items and missed the mark.
“We are here to help people that need it and the people that need our help are worried about where their groceries for this week are coming from. They are not here to get a couch or a mattress.”
The church reported the growing issue to the city and now Sullivan said they are just praying and hoping they find a solution.
“These people have turned what we intended to be a blessing into a curse,” Sullivan said.
If the problem continues, Sullivan said they will have to get rid of their blessing box in hopes of putting a stop to the junk build-up.
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