Lost and Found: Treasure Trove of Goodies By: Ryan C. Meier

At some point in your DMACC career, if you haven’t already, you will lose something. Be it in a computer lab, classroom, gym or dining area of Building 5, when you are done with your business, you will get up and leave something behind. However, what some students don’t realize, that there is a Lost and Found for these homeless items.

“We get lots of memory sticks, hats, cars keys, and phones,” Anne Allen, administrative assistant for the Student Activities said.

The Lost and Found makes its home in Building 5, room 27, within the Student Activities office.

“I think a lot of students don’t know we exist, because a lot of things go unclaimed,” Allen said.

Lt. Harrison, DMACC security supervisor, said that he and his staff also encounter lost items while on rounds.  They will turn over found items to the Lost and Found department, though they do what they can to help out.

“If we can identify whose items they are, we will attempt to track them down,” Lt. Harrison said.

If neither security nor the lost and found can find the owner, there is still a grace period.

“We usually keep items for a couple months, just in case. If not claimed, then it’s donated to Goodwill. We will recycle phones as well,” Allen said.

With all walks of life attending DMACC, some different and interesting items can be turned in.

“Once, a small bag of insulin, needles, a blood sugar tester and test strips was turned in. Then a few days later a second one was found. I just hoped the person or persons who lost this was okay,” Erin Wheat, coordinator of Student Activities said.

On occasion, lunch containers are turned in and Allen said those could get unusual rather quickly. “There will be some food still left in the containers and within a few days those will smell bad.”

Not all things found are inanimate objects. DMACC security once received several calls about a lone duck roaming the campus. However, they would receive a call and show up to the location and the duck would be gone.

“Finally, we were able to catch the duck after a student was holding it while feeding it. We took it to the Veterinary Technology program on campus and they took care of it before finding a safe home for it,” Lt. Harrison said.

Wheat also finds the Lost and Found to be reaffirming of her belief in people. “There will be students will come in with a twenty dollar bill and say they found it in the parking lot. I’m amazed that they simply don’t keep it.”

Allen admits that some items that come in really peak her interest and gets her imagination running.

“Sometimes a different piece of jewelry or a pair of glasses will come in and I’ll try to imagine who it belongs to. What do they look like, how do they act and dress. It’s kind of fun.”

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