LEWISTON — The 10th annual Clean Sweep, Bates College’s “garage sale” of appliances, furniture, electronics and other goods donated by departing students, raised nearly $16,000 in proceeds that will be divided among 14 local nonprofit organizations.
A community tradition, the June 19 sale drew crowds of enthusiastic bargain-hunters to Bates’ Underhill Arena.
“More than 100 volunteers from local nonprofit organizations put in more than 1,000 hours of collecting, sorting, cleaning, organizing and pricing an arena full of items,” said Julie Rosenbach, event organizer and the college’s sustainability coordinator.
The sale keeps unwanted possessions out of the waste stream and raises money for the nonprofits. Local organizations supply volunteers to help staff the event and in return receive a share of the proceeds. Rosenbach explained that the proceeds are split among the participating organizations based on the number of volunteer hours, trucks and tables provided.
Located in Lewiston except as indicated, the nonprofits taking part were: the Caleb Garden Club; Common Ties Mental Health Services; First Universalist Church, Auburn; the Justice, Ecology and Democracy Collective, Greene; Life Center; Literacy Volunteers-Androscoggin; Lots to Gardens; Maine Fair Trade Campaign; Maine People’s Alliance; New Beginnings Inc.; the Root Cellar; the Share Center, Auburn; Somali Bantu Community Association; and TriCounty Mental Health Services.
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