Beginning next week, Notre Dame students can raise funds for more than 40 local charities by donating gently used furniture, clothing, books and other items to be sold in the annual Old 2 Gold sale.
Marty Ogren, associate director of warehouse, delivery and transportation, said the collection period for items is May 6 to May 20. There will be designated areas outside each residence hall for gently-used items in working condition. According to the Old 2 Gold website, the sale will take place the morning of June 15 in Notre Dame Stadium.
Although the sale is in its ninth year, it still requires months of planning, Ogren said.
"We have several meetings to coordinate the PR for the sale, both to students who donate items and to the public who come and purchase items [and] meetings to instruct our campus teams as to their many roles. ... This is a one-day event that we spend four months preparing for," Ogren said.
Ogren said it is difficult to make a rough estimate of the number of items that have been donated over the past nine years.
"Tons of stuff would not be an exaggeration," he said.
Ogren said last year's sale raised $54,000 and the highest amount of money raised in the sale's history was $73,000. The money the sale raises directly benefits the local community.
One hundred percent of funds raised at the sale go to the agencies that volunteer to work the event," Ogren said. Each year, we support approximately 45 to 50 agencies. The agencies include Busy Hands of Michiana, Campfire River Bend Council and Hope Ministries, among others."
Donating items is more sustainable than throwing them out, Ogren said.
"Over the years, tons of items have been redistributed instead of ending up in a landfill," Ogren said.
Ogren said Old 2 Gold is an important fundraiser for local agencies that volunteer at the sale.
"This sale gives local agencies the opportunity to earn funds for their groups," he said. "For some of these agencies, this is the only fundraiser they participate in and have come to depend on our event to accomplish their good works."
The sale also benefits the families that shop for items, Ogren said.
"Because our prices are so low, many families are able to purchase items they otherwise would not be able to afford," he said. "[It's] really a win-win."
Ogren said the contributions of Notre Dame students are what make the Old 2 Gold sale successful every yeat.
"This is a huge project and event," Ogren said. "It requires a lot of work and coordination, but it helps so many people who really need our help. If it wasn't for the generosity of the Notre Dame student body, this would not be possible."
Contact Nicole McAlee at nmcalee@nd.edu
