MERIDIAN, Idaho — They say one person's trash is another's treasure and on May 4 and May 5, that saying will be on full display in Meridian.
The city is expanding it's pilot "Trash or Treasure" event and making it citywide on Saturday and Sunday as part of an effort to keep more items out of the landfill.
Over the weekend, Meridian residents can set out any unwanted, but usable items on their curb and other folks can claim them as their new-found treasure.
“That can be everything from couches to chairs to bookshelves, we've seen mattresses and toys and electronics, anything that they think somebody can take and give a new home to, they can set it out to be reused and kept out of the landfill,” Shandy Lam, a spokesperson for the City of Meridian said.
Meridian Police Department's senior crime analyst, Brett Baranco proposed the program to the city as a way to honor his late brother-in-law, who was an advocate for a similar program in Alberta, Canada.
“It was twofold for me, it was trying to let a city that I hold very valuable have a program that's very unique, but it was also a way for me to bring a little bit of Matt to my city, my state for my sister in law who is now an Idaho to have a little piece of him,” he said.
This weekend's event coincides with Republic Services' Spring Clean-Up week, which means if an item isn't claimed as treasure, Republic Services can later scoop it up.
“We're excited to see what this weekend holds,” Baranco said.
For Baranco though, honoring his brother-in-law isn't only through the program, it’s also visible in the logo.
“On the Trash or Treasure logo, I did sneak in an “MJC” for Matthew Jonathan Claus and it's just a remembrance that I was able to bring this little piece of him who valued this program in his hometown of 10,000 people that it can come here to the United States in Meridian Idaho and be such a positive outcome for 100,000 people to hopefully enjoy and have fun with,” Baranco said.
Anyone who would like to sign up and participate in the program can do so on the City of Meridian’s website.