Nicole Crescenzi/Contributor
Victoria rug-cleaning business, Luv-A-Rug Services Inc., is once again giving back to the community.
Luv-A-Rug is accepting donated rugs, cleaning them and donating them to charities fundraising for Ukrainian humanitarian relief through events such as garage sales and auctions.
“If we have to work all night long for the charity rugs then that’s fine,” said Stephen ‘Dusty’ Roberts, president and team lead at Luv-A-Rug. “It’s a small thing to do compared to what the Ukrainians are going through.”
The business already had a rug donation program in place, after Roberts noticed a trend: people would come in to clean a rug they were getting rid of, due to upsizing, downsizing or redecorating.
Roberts decided to create a program where he wouldn’t charge for the cleaning, but would instead accept the rugs and pass them forward to the community. Past recipients include Women in Need (WIN) thrift shops and Habitat for Humanity, but presently all rugs are going towards Ukrainian efforts.
“We have specialized equipment for the rugs,” Roberts said. “After a clean, they look brand new.”
On average, Luv-A-Rug sees 50 to 60 rugs per month, with values ranging from $80 to $2,000, and the donations are growing.
“Right now we’re working seven days per week and staying late. We’d like to do more but quite frankly we’re bursting out of the seams.”
Roberts said his love for charity was sparked by his dad and rug-cleaning founder, Gordon Roberts.
“My dad taught me that when things are good, be generous and give back,” he said. “I hope this inspires other small businesses to ask themselves the question of what they can do to give back too.”
Anyone interested in donating a rug can drop it off at Luv-A-Rug at 445 Beta St. in Victoria. Anyone hosting a fundraising event for Ukrainian relief efforts who could use a rug can contact Roberts directly at 778-533-7847.
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