Photograph by Phyllis Graber Jensen/Bates College.

A “garage sale” on a massive scale that benefits the environment, community organizations and countless satisfied shoppers, Bates College’s Clean Sweep returns for the 12th year at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 16, at Underhill Arena, 145 Russell St.

As students pack up to leave Bates at the end of the school year, they donate to Clean Sweep all kinds of still-valuable possessions — electronics and toys, household goods and small furnishings, bikes and books, sporting goods and more. Faculty, staff and the college itself also donate items. The annual sale keeps these perfectly usable items out of the landfill, and the proceeds go to local nonprofits.

To learn more, please call 207-786-6207.

Bates is one of a number of colleges and universities nationwide that hold such sales. Drawing some 800 bargain-hunters from the Lewiston-Auburn region, last year’s event at Bates raised more than $16,000 in proceeds divided among 14 local nonprofits.

An annual tradition for both the campus and local bargain hunters, the sale is staffed by volunteers from the nonprofits, which in return receive a share of the proceeds.

Located in Lewiston except as indicated, the nonprofits taking part this year are: the Caleb Group (River Valley Village); Common Ties Mental Health Services; Dominican Sisters; First Universalist Church, Auburn; the Justice, Ecology and Democracy Collective, Greene; the Life Center at John F. Murphy Homes, Auburn; Lots to Gardens; Maine People’s Alliance; the Root Cellar; the Share Center, Auburn; Somali Bantu Community Association; Support Solutions; TriCounty Mental Health Services; and the Trinity Jubilee Center.

A “garage sale” on a massive scale that benefits the environment, community organizations and countless satisfied shoppers, Bates College’s Clean Sweep returns for the 11th year at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 18, at Underhill Arena, 145 Russell St.

As students pack up to leave Bates at the end of the school year, they donate to Clean Sweep all kinds of still-valuable possessions — electronics and toys, household goods and small furnishings, bikes and books, sporting goods and more. The annual sale keeps these perfectly usable items out of the landfill, and the proceeds go to local nonprofits.

To learn more, please call 207-786-6207.

Bates is one of a number of colleges and universities nationwide that hold such sales. Last year’s event at Bates raised nearly $16,000 in proceeds divided among 14 local nonprofits.

An annual tradition for both the campus and local bargain hunters, the sale is staffed by volunteers from the nonprofits, which in return receive a share of the proceeds.

Located in Lewiston except as indicated, the nonprofits taking part this year are: the Caleb Garden Club; Common Ties Mental Health Services; First Universalist Church, Auburn; the Justice, Ecology and Democracy Collective, Greene; Life Center; Lots to Gardens; Maine Fair Trade Campaign; Maine People’s Alliance; New Beginnings, Inc.; the Share Center, Auburn; Somali Bantu Community Association; TriCounty Mental Health Services; and the Trinity Jubilee Center.

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 Area.

“More than 100 volunteers from 14 local nonprofit organizations put in more than 1,000 hours of collecting, sorting, cleaning, organizing and pricing an arena full of items,” says Julie Rosenbach, event organizer and the college’s sustainability coordinator.

The sale both 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 explains 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.

Bates is one of a number of colleges and universities nationwide that benefit both local nonprofit organizations and the environment by selling useful possessions donated by students as they depart at the end of the academic year.

The 10th edition of Clean Sweep, the supersized “garage sale” at Bates College that benefits the environment, community organizations and scores of satisfied shoppers, starts at 8 a.m. Saturday, June 19, at Underhill Arena, 145 Russell St.

As students pack up to leave Bates at the end of the school year, they donate all manner of still-worthy possessions — electronics and toys, household goods and small furnishings, bikes and books, sporting gear and more — to Clean Sweep. This public sale keeps these perfectly usable items out of the landfill while the sale’s proceeds go to local nonprofits.

To learn more, please call 207-786-6207.

Bates’ event has become a tradition on campus and in the region. The collection boxes placed in dormitories around campus are always filled to overflowing. Different nonprofits participate every year, helping arrange the merchandise and staffing the sale. Bates is one of a number of colleges and universities nationwide that hold such sales.

In 2009, Clean Sweep raised a record $21,400 in proceeds that were divided among 14 community organizations. More than 100 volunteers from the nonprofits put in some 1,000 hours collecting, cleaning, organizing and pricing items for the sale.

There were more than 90 tables full of sale items in Underhill, plus rows of larger goods like lamps, furniture, appliances and electronics.

Bates’ ninth annual Clean Sweep, a “garage sale” of usable goods donated by departing students, raised a record $21,400 in proceeds that will be divided among local nonprofit organizations.

A community tradition, the sale on June 20 drew swarms of eager bargain-hunters to the college’s Underhill Arena, on Russell Street.
“More than 100 volunteers from 14 organizations spent over 1,000 hours collecting, cleaning, organizing and pricing items for the sale,” says Julie Rosenbach, event organizer and the college’s environmental coordinator. “Items filled the arena — we had more than 90 tables full of stuff, plus rows of lamps, furniture, appliances and electronics.”

Items donated by Bates students and other members of the college community also included sporting goods, housewares, books, toys, clothes and shoes.

Bates is one of a number of colleges and universities nationwide that benefit both local nonprofit organizations and the environment by selling useful possessions donated by students as they head out at the end of the academic year.

The sale both keeps unwanted possessions out of the waste stream and raises money for the organizations. Nonprofits supply volunteers to help staff the event, and in return receive a share of the proceeds proportionate to the amount of time volunteered.

The beneficiaries of the event 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 St. Andre Home; the Share Center, Auburn; Somali Bantu Community Association; and TriCounty Mental Health Services.

Last year’s sale raised $11,897, divided by 14 local nonprofit organizations. The total for 2007 was around $18,000.

When Bates College environmental coordinator Julie Rosenbach places cartons marked “Clean Sweep” in the college’s dorms each spring, students know just what to do.

In those cartons and at the college’s ice arena, they drop off small furnishings, electronics, sports gear and other useable stuff they won’t take along when they leave campus this spring. These goodies will be offered for sale at Clean Sweep, Bates’ annual “garage sale” that keeps truckloads of useful items out of the waste stream and raises money for nonprofit organizations in the region.

The ninth Clean Sweep sale takes place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 20, at the college’s Underhill Arena, 145 Russell St. The sale is open to the public. To learn more, please contact Rosenbach at 207-786-8367 or jrosenba@bates.edu.

(NOTE: The summer 2009 edition of “Bates Invites You,” Bates College’s events calendar, incorrectly stated that the public is invited to help staff or donate items to Clean Sweep. We regret the error.)

Bates is one of a number of colleges and universities nationwide that benefit both the environment and their communities each year by selling possessions donated by students as they head out at the end of the academic year.

Bates’ event has become a tradition on campus and in the region. Different nonprofits participate every year and the boxes Rosenbach places in dormitories are always filled to overflowing.

“People look forward to the sale. They expect it,” Rosenbach says. “And they really like being a part of it.”

This year, at least 10 nonprofit organizations will be taking part by collecting goods from around campus, helping organize the sale or volunteering at the event.

In 2008, more than 115 people from 14 local nonprofit organizations volunteered 1,000 hours of collecting, sorting, cleaning, organizing, pricing and selling items. Less than 1 percent of sale items ended up in the trash, and the sale raised nearly $12,000 for participating nonprofits.

When Bates College environmental coordinator Julie Rosenbach places cartons marked “Clean Sweep” in the college’s dorms each spring, students know just what to do.

They drop off the furnishings, electronics, sports gear and other useable stuff they won’t take home when they leave campus this spring. These goodies are then put up for sale at Clean Sweep, Bates’ annual “garage sale” that keeps truckloads of useful items out of the landfill and raises money for nonprofit organizations in the region.

The eighth Clean Sweep sale takes place this year from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 14, at the college’s Underhill Arena, 145 Russell St.

The sale is open to the public. To learn more, please contact Julie Rosenbach at 207-786-8367 (office), 207-240-4626 (cell) or jrosenba@bates.edu.

Bates is one of a number of colleges and universities nationwide that benefit both the environment and their communities each year by selling possessions donated by students as they head out at the end of the academic year.

Bates’ event has become a tradition on campus and in the Lewiston-Auburn region. Different nonprofits participate every year and the boxes Rosenbach places in dormitory lounges are always filled to overflowing.

“People look forward to the sale. They expect it,” Rosenbach says. “And they really like being a part of it.”

This year, at least 10 nonprofit organizations will be taking part by collecting goods from around campus, helping organize the sale or volunteering at the event.

Organizations that benefit from the sale’s proceeds provide volunteers to staff the event. Last year’s Clean Sweep raised more than $17,500 that was divided among 18 local nonprofit organizations, and approximately 97 percent of goods donated were sold or otherwise reused.

This year, Rosenbach is highlighting the existence of a hold area where shoppers can park their armfuls of goods while they continue to browse. Last year, she says, “people really took advantage of it.”

“We’re figuring out how to make Clean Sweep better each year, so this year should be great.”

– Office of Communications and Media Relations

Clean Sweep, Bates College’s seventh annual “garage sale” of electronics, furnishings, bikes, toys and other goods donated by departing students, takes place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at the college’s Underhill Arena, 145 Russell St.

Please note that some published reports listed the wrong date for the event. Saturday, June 16, is correct.

Proceeds from the sale benefit local nonprofit organizations. The sale is open to the public. Members of the public are also invited to donate items and/or volunteer to staff the event. To learn more, please call Bates environmental coordinator Julie Rosenbach at 207-786-8367 (office) or 207-240-4626 (cell).

Bates is one of a number of colleges and universities nationwide that benefit both the environment and their communities by selling usable goods — clothing, electronics, furniture, appliances, athletic and outdoor equipment and myriad other items — donated by students as they head out at the end of the academic year. Organizations that benefit from the sale’s proceeds provide volunteers to staff the event.

Last year’s event raised more than $9,500 in proceeds that were divided among nine local nonprofit organizations and a school athletics program. Beneficiaries included the Maine Fair Trade Campaign, Androscoggin Head Start, the Maine People’s Alliance, the Lewiston High School track and field program, Nana’s Dream Museum of Miniatures, Common Ties, the Caleb Community Garden, the Share Center, New Beginnings and the Justice, Ecology and Democracy Collective.

More than 100 volunteers from those organizations helped staff the 2006 event. An estimated 88 percent of the goods on offer were sold, 11 percent were donated to charitable organizations and a mere 1 percent entered the waste stream.

“I think the sale couldn’t help but be a success — an arena full of items that would have gone to trash got reused,” Rosenbach said. “That’s a lot smarter than burying those resources in a landfill.”

“At the same time, working with local volunteer groups was a lot of fun,” she added. “It felt like a true community effort.”