20+years lost...

[teh_blumchenkinder]

1) how big is your town
2) where is the closest library
a)tell me about the libraries
b)University libraries?
Don't write off the newspaper clippings just yet! Also, were you part of a club? or was it a school organization?

[Aethian]

1. Now? Ummmm 10 - 20K I think.
2. Ingham is the county seat but the largest library is Lansing. I live in a different county now.
3. Ingham doesn't have very big libraries and the largest one in Lansing is hooked up to MSU's main university library.
4. MSU...
5. Holt Swimming Club, now defunct and part of the holt public schools. Also part of the Mason Swimming Club, also defunct and part of the mason public schools. Also swam under the USS patch since I was 4 up till I was 19 due to age requirements. 19-25 I was under the "senior" version of the USS and swam open water.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Alright. Then you're more than able to go to wherever library in (town you swam in, which I presume you're in now? oops ), and ask there how you can get started, from one of the librarians. Frequently, they'll mention microfiche, feel free to ask how to do those from the librarians. Most libraries have local newspapers, and if not there, then university libraries usually try to get most of state history, especially if they're government repositories. Ask at the school that now has the swimming onus, and at the League offices, about what history resources for the club they have available-- definitely explain where you're coming from, a former member will get further than ARandomDude.
You may not get the trophies or medals back... but something may.

[Sapphire Silk]

I agree about the complaint side of things. However, shit like that has no monetary value. How are they going to pay to get memories back?

It's the principle. I would never let someone get away with this.

Oh no.
and a for your poor mother! I feel your pain... the only-- only fucking time my family has ever had anyone in to do anything (moving, cleaning, yard, anything) was a move, when I was in fifth grade.
They packed a thing of garbage (a paper garbage bag)-- but somehow fucking lost my souvenirs from Hawai'i from the previous summer and what Daddy had brought back from Korea for me. And they stole my Ritalin, which Mom, for some reason, had gotten the 'big bottle' of-- over 300 tabs.

The Ritalin was theft. Big black market for Ritalin.

Possibly the same for the other stuff. Sorry

[teh_blumchenkinder]

The Ritalin was theft. Big black market for Ritalin.

Possibly the same for the other stuff. Sorry

Yup. I knew about that even at that age. Amphetamines. Even as small a dose that I took... still.
In high school someone heard I took it, and offered me thirty a pill.
The souvenirs were just chintzy things, no more than ten USD I'm sure... but I honestly thought they were beautiful and lovely. Things like dried leis, my journal, a plastic box with cranes on it, a small glass and paper diorama... /sigh

[LillFilly]

I think you need to file a report of theft, or destruction of property, since the woman's not associated with a company. She needs to be taught a lesson, a HARD one. Those things were important to the BOTH of you, and that woman must be told that. DON'T let her get away with what she did, or she might toss someone else's special things, if she hasn't already (or brought them home because 'patient XYX wasn't going to use them anyway!'

Maybe, a way to help you might be to try and recall the events in which you won the trophies and ribbons and record the memories in a little journal, so you can at least tell the stories later.

[MoonCat]

This might be a long shot, but you might consider placing a personal ad in the newspaper in the town where you actually were on the team. "Any former members of such&such swim team from 19-- to 19--, please write to (box #)"...something like that. Someone might have some of the same stuff, photos, newspaper articles, etc, that they would be willing to have copied for you.

I'm aware that these ads can sometimes be pricey, but just thought I'd put the idea out there.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

All I can say is I'm terribly sorry. I remember once my dad threw away a bunch of my stuff that was in the basement of the house I grew up in (I still lived there) because I didn't clean up my area fast enough for him. Fortunately I couldn't remember exactly what was in the boxes or bags but later on when I couldn't find things I figured I knew what happened to them.

Even now I have to worry because my husband goes on cleaning binges and he thinks I have too much stuff. I do tend to be a pack rat but I watch those Hoarders shows and I've told him, hey, if you think my stuff is bad, call Hoarders and ask them to come look at the place...they will just tell him he's nuts. Still, I worry one day he's just going to throw out a bunch of my stuff that he considers junk but that may have great sentimental value to me. I have to keep my eyes open...sigh. and cookies to you...and good luck tracking down as many of those tangible memories as possible.

[Kogarashi]

My condolences, Aethian. I know how hard that can be.

In a similar vein to some of the "professional" packer stories here, my MIL had professional house-cleaners come in every now and then because her house is pretty big and she hates dusting (among other things). One time, sometime after the cleaning service had left, she went to put in a movie only to discover that most, if not all, of the DVD cases in that room were empty. Yes, as far as she could tell, the cleaning service people had stolen the discs out of the cases. (No, I don't know what came of this, except that apparently it had been too long since the theft--since the cases were still there so MIL didn't suspect anything--to see justice done.)

Even now I have to worry because my husband goes on cleaning binges and he thinks I have too much stuff.

Hubby is far more minimalist than I, which is why when we were first married, I sat him down and told him point blank that he is never ever to throw out anything that is mine or ours without consulting with me first. He is always welcome to purge the stuff that is his alone, but if I have any ownership in it, I want him to consult with me before it goes or else the marriage is going to be a rough one.

And it's worked. He helps counterbalance my pack rat tendencies (which I don't think are nearly at hoarder level, since I am capable of getting rid of stuff when we go through periodic clean-ups), and I don't ever feel afraid that I'm going to come home from an outing one day and find that something that was very important to me but inconsequential to him has ended up in the dumpster.

[BeenThereDoneThat]

Sounds like a good plan, Kogarashi. I'm thinking there should have been a lot of those sit-downs in the early years for us...

[Jester]

I have only one trophy. It is a tiny little piece of crap, but it is the trophy from the first (and so far only) chili cookoff I won, after years of competing in them. And if someone tossed that, I would be pissed. Because that tiny little piece of crap trophy means so much to me!

So I can only barely understand what you are going through, with all those trophies and such. I'd be far more livid than you are. Hell, that sounds like the kind of woman that would toss anything she didn't think was worthwhile, despite what it might actually mean to its owners. Definitely not someone I'd ever want cleaning my place!

So I hope you find a way to get back some or all of your things, even if they are just copies of old articles. I also hope you put this woman in her place. Which is right next to those boxes she pitched....in the trash.

[protege]

She should be reported.

Seconded.

My mom had some stuff stolen from a "professional" cleaner. Luckily, it was just some alcoholic beverages, and nothing irreplaceable was taken. Still, it did land the cleaning crew in jail...after they were caught stealing from her by my brother. Sadly, my parents weren't the only ones--the house across the street used that same crew as well. They had some financial records taken, along with some expensive liquors. Last I heard, the cleaning crew got busted for that...and other thefts. They're currently in jail.

[XCashier]

Last I heard, the cleaning crew got busted for that...and other thefts. They're currently in jail.

Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch.

[RootedPhoenix]

Couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch.

Oh, absolutely.