Clean Sweep - before...

during...

and after

Donate, Volunteer, Come to the Sale!

To reduce campus waste and encourage reuse, Bates organizes an annual event to collect and reuse stuff left behind when students move out. "Clean Sweep" is a huge tag sale populated by items students left behind and staffed by volunteers from local non-profit organizations who benefit from the proceeds.

About the Sale
Clean Sweep is held the third Saturday in June from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm in the Underhill Arena located at 145 Russell Street. Every item including furniture, appliances, electronics, rugs, clothes, kitchenware, and much more is sold at super low prices.

Donation
As you move out, or are spring cleaning, please donate unwanted items to Clean Sweep. Make sure all items are in clean, working condition.
We collect items to sell from May 23rd to June 14th. You may donate by emailing Julie Rosenbach at jrosenba@bates.edu or calling 786-8367.

Volunteering
Bates has worked with community organizations in the Lewiston Auburn area for the past seven years. These partnerships are critical to the success of the Clean Sweep sale. If you are a local non-profit organization and are interested joining the effort please click here for more information on registering your organization.

The 2008 Sale raised $11,897. Over 115 volunteer staff from fourteen local nonprofit organizations spent more than 1,000 hours  collecting, sorting, organizing, pricing, and selling items. An estimated 85% of the donated items were sold and less than one percent ended up in the trash.

The 2007 Sale raised over $17,600. More than 130 volunteers from eighteen organizations collected, organized, cleaned, priced, and sold items. The line started at 5:30 am and by the time the door opened at 8:00 am one line stretched out to Central Ave and another was formed toward the parking lot.We sold about 97% and donated 3%, it was a great success.

The 2006 Sale raised about $10,000 for local nonprofits.

Thanks to all of the volunteers who did such a great job!!