A retired news correspondent said he finally found time to give back to the community, now, this newsy who has a passion for electronics is turning someone else’s trash into treasure.

Robert Hardt is a volunteer at the Revivals store in Palm Springs, he has been doing it for about 15 years and he has become one of their electronic experts.

When customers enter a store, they expect things to work, but for a donation-based retailer such as Revivals, it is not always so simple, Hardt makes sure the electronics are clicking.

Hardt said, “If you don’t know if it’s junk or not, by all means, bring it and we’ll make that decision.”

Hardt and another volunteer who also goes by Bob are the ones in charge of making sure customers leave Revivals with a functioning television or radio.

“Day one on the job I started folding clothes perfectly respectable pass time for a volunteer,” Hardt said. “But two hours later he came back and said wait a minute I looked at your resume electronics background we have a problem, people donate electronics, VCRs, DVD players, T.V. sets, we don’t know if they’re any good or not.”

Before Hardt donated his time at the non-profit, he was a news correspondent for ABC News Radio, he also understood the engineering of electronics, he said finally after a gratifying career it was time to put some work back into his community.

Hardt said, “The revival store and its parent Desert Aid’s Project really appreciate what we’re doing, what you are doing and that’s worthwhile, it makes you feel good number one.”

The majority of work at the Revivals stores gets done with the help of volunteers, about 200 of them who work in various departments.

For Hardt who has covered the world, this experience is unique, to be able to use his tools to be a part of what keeps the Desert Aids Project going, a non-profit that’s committed to ending HIV/AIDS.

Hardt said, “So yea, it’s finally my chance to give back.”

The sales from Revivals do add-up, about $1.2 million goes towards the D.A.P. annually.

Volunteers Tune-up Electronics for a Local Non-Profit