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Aug 8, 2006 10:46 am US/Central
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Bedbugs Halt Mattress Donation Program
Duluth, Minn. (AP) ―
An outbreak of bedbugs has halted a Duluth, Minn. program that provided mattresses to hundreds of needy people a year.
Slumberland Furniture in Duluth used to give away about ten used beds weekly to people with vouchers from the Salvation Army. That practice ended last week.
Store manager Vaughn Regstad says he doesn't know of any problems from its donations. And he says it pains him to destroy beds that could still be put to use.
But in light of several high-profile bedbug outbreaks in the Duluth area, he says the risk was too great.
Slumberland's decision will leave the Salvation Army in Duluth with just one source of used bedding -- donations to its thrift store, which average five per week.
Slumberland says it will continue to donate new mattresses.
(© 2006 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)