TAMPA, Fla. — The pirate invasion is over, but they left behind thousands of pounds of treasure.

  • Clients at MacDonald Training Center sort beads, repackage them
  • Donating beads keeps them out of landfills, Bay
  • BELOW: Drop-off locations

And the MacDonald Training Center, which teaches real-life skills to adults with disabilities, is asking people to share their wealth.

“We collect the beads all year long, we get the heaviest bead collections this time of year. And this year we’ve already collected 4,000 pounds,” said Libby Barnes, development coordinator at MacDonald Training Center.

That 4,000 pounds of loot goes back into the community, instead of in a landfill or the Bay.

“I like it because you get them at Gasparilla or whenever there are big events in Tampa, Florida, and it’s really cool. It’s like all these beads take me back to my childhood and it’s really fun,” said Darian Roman, a client at the center.

"A lot of our clients aren’t able to participate in Gasparilla or many community events. Either they’re limited by transportation or just not physically able to get to an event or be able to enjoy it, so this is really their way of being a part of those events. Getting to experience this and just say, ‘I have a hand in creating this celebration,’” said Barnes.

Once clients at the center sort through the beads, they repackage them to sell back to the community for future events — like the Fourth of July, St. Patricks Day, or Mardis Gras.

And that money then goes back into programming at the MacDonald Training Center, giving people like Darian opportunities to succeed in the community.

“A lot of our clients struggle with financial resources, so the money from these bead program really just helps create opportunities for them,” said Barnes.

If you would like to purchase beads, they are for sale all year long at the MacDonald Training Center.

Donations can be dropped off at any of the following locations:

  • Copeland Park Community Center, 11001 North 15th Street
  • Kate Jackson Community Center, 821 South Rome Avenue
  • Loretta Ingraham Recreation Complex, 1611 North Hubert Avenue
  • MacDonald Training Center (Weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), 5420 West Cypress Street
  • Port Tampa Community Center, 4702 West McCoy Street