When Darrell Hayden and his crew are called upon to help a family move from their home, there often are a few items that don’t make the cut.

It could be a crib that is no longer needed, a sofa that is too big for the new place or an easy chair that has become tiresome.

During each move, Hayden, owner of Veteran Movers of Bangor, would look over the assortment of cast-aside goods in the empty homes and think there had to be a way for some of the items to do good.

Hayden’s an animal lover and a few years ago tried his hand at volunteering at the Bangor Humane Society. Unfortunately, the unpredictable nature of his job made it difficult to adhere to a volunteer schedule.

However, when he heard about the Bangor Humane Society’s annual yard sale, an idea was born.

For the past three years, Hayden has hauled away families’ leftovers and stored them until the sale.

This year was a banner year.

On Wednesday and again on Friday, Hayden’s crew pulled up to the humane society with a 26-foot truck loaded with couches, kitchen counters, dressers, desks, clothing, lights, cabinets and yes, even a kitchen sink.

“It works out great all the way around,” Hayden said Friday from his Union Street office. “The owners who leave it behind get to feel good about it because they know it goes to help a great cause, the animals benefit, people looking for affordable goods get a deal, and it’s a great way for my company to give something back.”

This is the society’s fourth Memorial Day weekend yard sale that runs from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. today through Monday.

On Friday, Danielle Arbour, the events and volunteer coordinator for the humane society, was literally up to her neck in boxes.

The petite young woman wrestled with a bright blue tarp as she tried to protect some wooden furniture from a sudden wind and rain storm.

“I knew the first load was coming on Wednesday, she shouted over the wind, “but I didn’t know it would be so big. Then when they pulled up with another truckload today, well, it was time to panic. It’s a good but crazy chaos here.”

The community stepped up to donate items, and with everyone’s help there is three times as many items up for sale than in previous years, she said.

On Friday afternoon, as she tried desperately to eat lunch with one hand while battening down the tarps with another, Arbour could only laugh as she surveyed the hundreds of used goods on the front lawn.

Money from the sale will be used for the “little extras” that are not included in the annual BHS budget, she said, such as stainless steel water and food dishes, cozy beds or cat toys.

Like most yard sales, some of the items are almost new, hardly used and have a lot of life left. Others are a bit dustier, a little more worn and in need of a little tender loving care.

“Every single year, I ask myself why I do this,” she said.

But the reason is just on the other side of the back door.

Inside, cats and dogs such as Diva, Digger, Brownie Muffin, Coolio and Big Mac eagerly greet visitors who pass by their cages. Some of them are quiet and older. Others are full of energy and ready to play.

They all need a little attention.

Of course, they are oblivious to the activity outside on the lawn, but a little time looking into their faces makes it clear that they know very well what it means to be cast aside.

reneeordway@gmail.com