People always want to get rid of old junk. It is simply a part of the world we live in.
Rather than chuck it in the trash, one University of Wyoming RSO found a way to make money turning other people’s trash into treasure.
Trash 2 Treasure was a fundraising event hosted by the Nordic Ski Team Tuesday at the west end of Fraternity Mall. The club holds fundraising events throughout the year, but this is the first time they hosted this sort of event.
“In the fall we rake people’s yards,” Sarah Johnson, a club member said. The club also works football games and holds an art auction in the winter.
The credit for the Trash 2 Treasure sale idea goes to Sierra Jech, according to an email from Christi Boggs, who volunteers as a coach for the skiers. Jech brought it with her from the University of New Hampshire as a way for the club to earn money.
“At UNH, it’s more like a campus community thing, and not just for any specific club,” club Vice President Kyle Bochanski, said.
Club members spent spring and summer collecting and cleaning cast-off items from all over Laramie. “The idea was to gather items for dorms, but we found that people wanted to donate larger items,” club President Sarah Dixon said.
The club took in many household items, and both Dixon and Bochanski said Trash 2 Treasure would be a great place for people who are setting up their first apartment to get a few things for a good price.
Unusual items the club collected included sinks that Bochanski said might appeal to crafty or artsy people, and a portable basketball hoop.
The club must raise close to $30,000 each year to cover its expenses. The money earned will help pay for travel costs and entrance fees to various competitions across the country.
The Nordic Ski Team is open to everyone regardless of his or her skill level. “If you don’t know how to ski but are really motivated to learn, it’s a good opportunity to try a new sport and be a part of a group,” Johnson said.
