My sister Susan volunteers to clean trash out of Lake Merritt in Oakland, California. She "uses" the lake, I mean, she runs around it, and she hates litter with a passion, so she helps keep it looking nice.

Besides the bags and bags of garbage she has hauled out, she also pulls out dozens of balls that wind up in the lake. These probably roll into the lake from the storm drains, or from people playing catch with their children at the lake.

Besides these two containers, Sue has given many, many balls to her friends with dogs.

Dogs love to play tennis.

This auction is for this one used softball from Lake Merritt.

Sue fished this baby out herself, and here is your chance to possess this fine Lake Merritt garbage souvenir without having to put on gloves or waders.

The ball is signed "Sue Cockerham 05/18/03".

Money raised by this auction will be given to Sue.

If you want to donate a million dollars or something, you should probably send it to the Lake Merritt Institute, they helped provide the nets and garbage bags for cleaning volunteers... I mean volunteers who clean, not for actually cleaning the volunteers.

The ball has been boiled to kill germs. That was some of the worst soup I've ever tasted.

The shipping is $2 within the United States of America, $3 to Canada and $5 to the United Kingdom. I accept paypal, money orders and checks. 

To learn more about storm drains, and how they work, read Storm Drains on Cockeyed.com.

Send email: rob at cockeyed.com with any questions.  

This wasn't Sue's idea. She isn't cleaning up garbage to get rich from used softball auctions, if that is what you are thinking.