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It's Free!



It's Free!
Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 5 to 6
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   5.43

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    network, material, electronics, e-mail, photo, furnish, motto, gasoline, beginning, founder, message, efficient, goal, space, posts, often
     content words:    Deron Beal, Jimmy Boegle, Tucson Weekly, On May, United States


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It's Free!
By Mary Lynn Bushong
  

1     Caption: The founder of Freecycle, Deron Beal. Photo: Jimmy Boegle, Tucson Weekly.
 
2     What makes birthdays fun? The cake, ice cream, and games are nice, but what do most people like best? Why, the presents, of course!
 
3     We all like getting something we want for free. Did you know that sometimes you can get something for free even when it's not a special day? That is what Freecycle is for.
 
4     What is Freecycle, you ask? It is an online network where people can post local messages listing things they want to get or give away. Another person on the e-mail list might have something that is wanted and be willing to give it. Others might want an offered item.
 
5     The whole idea came about with Deron Beal in Tucson, Arizona. He was tired of seeing still-useful items being thrown away and taking up space in the dump. On May 1, 2003, he contacted several friends to let them know he had set up the Freecycle network. At first, he worked with a small non-profit recycling group called RISE.

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