Disappointment in local Salvation Army

My ex-wife’s parents were in need of a better sofa. The old sofa they had would be perfect for someone who had nothing. They asked me to take it to the Salvation Army. We were within two blocks of the Salvation Army and the skies opened and rain poured.
A chain was across the front of the lot, but I saw a shelter with other furniture in the back of the lot. I pulled to the back, and my only thought was to get this sofa out of the rain before it would be useless. My ex-wife and I jumped out of our vehicles and pushed the sofa under the chain and placed the sofa under the shelter. We were soaked to the bone, but at least some family would get a piece of furniture.
An SUV pulled up and a policeman asked what we were doing. We explained, and he said we were under arrest for trespassing. The officer said he did not want to write the summons, but he had to because of the Salvation Army’s requests to the Waynesboro Police Department. Trespassing in Virginia can result in a year in jail, $2,500 fine or both.
Wait a minute. Isn’t the slogan for the Salvation Army, “Doing the Most Good.” I have supported the Army in the past by organizing Angel Tree’s for the scouts and at work and Red Bucket donations.
I will never give another penny to the Salvation Army; I am scared of the ramifications. I have taken off from work twice to defend myself on these charges. I did call the Salvation Army and asked if they could drop the charges in light of the situation, but never received a return phone call. The charges were finally dropped.
Robert Stickley
Waynesboro
Editor’s note: Police in June increased patrols at the Salvation Army after receiving reports of thefts of donations and illegal dumping at the premises. Two people later were arrested on theft charges.