Amen, brother!
This is a great idea and a way to help entice more people into the umpiring ranks.
Our metro association asks us to donate older, used gear and uniforms to maintain a "stash" of equipment that is sold at a very low cost to new umpires. If a newbie knows that they can get a full set of gear for less than $50.00, it overcomes an obstacle to getting them started.
The association uses the money to help fund an annual scholarship to the Advanced National School as well as help offset some travel costs for any umpires selected for National Tournaments.
I know that when I got started several years ago, I was able to find all of my equipment at a second-hand sports store for around $50.00. It worked just fine until I got addicted.
