By Paula Ann Solis
Staff Writer
Baylor students have a chance to turn their trash into someone else’s treasure at Mu Phi Epsilon’s “End-of-the-Year Yard Sale” fundraiser.
The event will begin at 4 p.m. Friday outside the McCrary Music Building and the entire Baylor community is encouraged to not only shop around but to sell their own items. Students who choose to sell their personal items at the yard sale will not collect the profits, but all the funds raised will be donated to the West Relief Fund and Mu Phi Epsilon’s scholarship program, according to Christine Cookus, a Spring senior and Mu Phi Epsilon’s treasurer and fundraising chair.
The Phi Xi Chapter of Mu Phi Epsilon is a Baylor sorority exclusively for music majors or minors. As part of the chapter’s mission to promote music in the Waco community, it annually offers three low-income middle or high school students in the Waco community a scholarship to pay for one year of music lessons.
“Half of all the money we raise will go to Baylor’s West Relief Fund and the rest will be used for our scholarship program,” Cookus said. “We can’t let students make personal profits from the on-campus sale due to school policies.”
“This is a great opportunity to do something charitable while cleaning out your apartment and getting ready to move back home for the summer,” said Dallas senior and Mu Phi Epsilon member Shabria Ray.
Carrollton junior and Mu Phi Epsilon member Kelsie Dunham said this is an excellent opportunity especially for freshmen and seniors.
“Seniors moving away can sell their furniture or electronics to freshmen who might be looking to furnish their first apartment,” Dunham said. “It’s a great way to recycle.”
Along with furniture, appliances and electronics, Cookus said clothes can also be donated to the yard sale and would be a good alternative for those looking to help West residents.
“I know right after the explosion in West a lot of people sent clothes and other things,” Cookus said. “But now the mayor of West is requesting money instead of goods. So instead people can sell the things they wanted to donate at our yard sale and it will still help the people in West.”
Cookus said those interested in donating to the yard sale should come by the McCrary Music Building at 2 p.m. to drop their items off. While there, they can also tell Mu Phi Epsilon members the prices they want their items to be sold for. Donors should come back to check if their items were sold at 6 p.m. when the yard sale ends.
Items that were not sold can be taken back by the donor or can be left for Mu Phi Epsilon to sell at a later date to benefit their scholarship program. Left over clothes will likely be taken to Goodwill, Cookus said.
Ray said people interested only in contributing to the scholarship program or to West could also stop by the yard sale to make a monetary donation, no purchase necessary. In the event of rain or other unfavorable weather the yard sale will be moved into the lobby of the McCrary Music Building.
