For more information about the sale, please call 207-786-6468.

Bates is one of a growing number of colleges and universities nationwide that benefit both the environment and local non-profit organizations by selling useful possessions — CDs, sports equipment, electronics, household goods and myriad other things — donated by departing students.

“This project is a win-win situation,” says Clean Sweep organizer Ryan Conrad, who just finished his junior year at Bates.

The environment benefits because these discarded possessions, however useful and desirable, would otherwise go into the waste stream.

Meanwhile, local organizations supply volunteer workers for the sale and benefit in turn by receiving a share of the proceeds. Participants in this year’s sale include Androscoggin Head Start; the Justice, Ecology, and Democracy Center of Greene; the Maine Independent Media Center; the Many and One Coalition; Hilltop Community Garden and others.

Last year’s event raised approximately $10,000 for participating non-profit groups.

For 2004, organizers have allowed more time between the collection of possessions and the sale, making for improved sorting, presentation and pricing. “This year’s sale should be better, less stressful and more organized than any prior year,” Conrad says.

Clean Sweep at Bates evolved from Dump & Run, an event held at colleges and universities across the nation. Dump & Run was started in 2000 by Lisa Heller, a student at the University of Richmond, in Virginia, who was appalled at the number of unspoiled possessions going to waste at the start of every summer.

Heller, who served as acting debate coach at Bates College in 2000 and 2001, organized a sale of such goods to benefit local non-profits. Her Massachusetts-based organization, Dump & Run, now sanctions the sales across North America. Bates is among several schools that started with Dump & Run and now produce their sales independently.

As every academic year winds down, students rushing away to start their summers typically discard myriad items that are still perfectly usable – everything from appliances to zoology texts. Dump & Run was started in 2000 by Lisa Heller, a student at the University of Richmond in Virginia, who was appalled at the number of unspoiled possessions going to waste. Heller (who served as acting debate coach at Bates College in 2000 and 2001) organized a sale of such goods to benefit local non-profit organizations.

Now Heller’s Massachusetts-based organization, Dump & Run, sanctions similar sales across the United States and in Canada. Bates, Bowdoin and Colby colleges are among Maine schools holding Dump & Run or similar programs.

“When graduation day rolls around, many students are faced with one last math problem – how to fit all the stuff they’ve accumulated during the last four years into their sporty hatchbacks,” says Jason Wentworth, the environmental coordinator at Bates College and a Dump & Run organizer.

“The result is that students end up giving a lot of great stuff to Dump & Run that otherwise would have gone in the trash bin,” he says – for example, CDs, sports equipment, electronics and household goods.

This year, volunteers from two non-profit organizations will round up the items and conduct the sale at Bates. In exchange for staffing the event, Lewiston Head Start and the Justice, Ecology and Democracy Center will receive the proceeds. Unopened food collected from students will be donated to the Good Shepherd Food Bank, in Lewiston.

Last year’s event raised more than $5,000 for participating non-profit groups and more than 400 pounds of food for Good Shepherd.

“This is a great way for Bates to strengthen its relationship with the community,” Wentworth adds. Moreover, “Dump & Run events are catching on across the country because they keep tons of usable items from going into the waste stream.”