Start date: March 10. End date: May 31. What does this mean? Read on.

We didn’t do a Miner Miracle promotion in 2005. The outrage expressed to us was so loud, so cacophonous, and so irritating, that we are yielding to public pressure (not to mention our inner voice of self-preservation) and resurrecting  it for 2006.

It’s a little different this time around, though, so please read carefully.

Some of you may not know, but A Miner Miracle is a San Francisco organization that offers assistance to disadvantaged people who are seeking to enter or re-enter the workforce. AMM provides work clothing, both new and used, to help its clients dress appropriately for a wide range of professional and office jobs. For more information, including the kinds of items AMM accepts for donations, check out www.aminermiracle.org.

As usual, the promotion works like this: you donate items to AMM, and we give you discounts on purchases in our stores. You can earn discounts on donations made between March 10 and May 31, inclusive.

This time, however, you must take your items to the AMM drop-off location. Do not bring them to us; we will laugh at you and refuse to accept them. Instead, bring us the itemized receipt for your donation, which AMM will provide.

AMM accepts clothing donations on Mondays from 9:00 to 4:00. AMM is located at 414 Mason St., Suite 500. The phone number is 415.217.7230.

Another change affects the way the discounts are doled out. If you donate 1 or 2 items, you’ll get 10% off 1 or 2 items. If you donate 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 items, you’ll get 20% off 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7 items. If you donate 8 or more items, you’ll get 30% off the same number of items. Oh, and there’s a significant exception: on denim, the highest possible discount is 10%, no matter how many items you donate. Sorry, but denim is precious.

Another change affects how you use your discounts. You don’t have to use your discounts all at once, but you must use them no later than May 31. After that day, all unused discounts will expire. We will expunge them from our records, even our memories. You will come in and ask about your discounts, and we will say, “Huh?”

Naturally, you can use your discounts at either AB Fits location. But you can’t use them on sale items or special orders. You can’t transfer them to other people. You can’t combine them with other offers. And please, please don’t try to apply them to past purchases. No, let’s look ahead, to the future. Let’s go there together, our economies and our wardrobes beautifully intertwined ....