There's only so much space in our lives for brightly-colored plastic balls, right?
But they actually do have value, once they've been checked and sorted and bagged. A great way to keep the spirit of carnival going is to donate Mardi Gras and parade beads to New Orleans charities.
First, check with the schools in your area to see if they want some beads for crafting projects. Don't forget daycare centers, pre-kindergarten schools, and special needs children facilities.
Another place to check is your local church, which may use them for crafting and decorating, for donating to various causes, and/or for fundraising. One Thoth, I stood next to a nun who was gathering beads for an event, and by the end of the parade she was practically smothered with them.
One institution that uses donated beads to employ people with disabilities is The Arc of Greater New Orleans.
Of course, you can also buy recycled Mardi Gras beads from Arc as well.
But they actually do have value, once they've been checked and sorted and bagged. A great way to keep the spirit of carnival going is to donate Mardi Gras and parade beads to New Orleans charities.
First, check with the schools in your area to see if they want some beads for crafting projects. Don't forget daycare centers, pre-kindergarten schools, and special needs children facilities.
Another place to check is your local church, which may use them for crafting and decorating, for donating to various causes, and/or for fundraising. One Thoth, I stood next to a nun who was gathering beads for an event, and by the end of the parade she was practically smothered with them.
One institution that uses donated beads to employ people with disabilities is The Arc of Greater New Orleans.
Of course, you can also buy recycled Mardi Gras beads from Arc as well.
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