You don’t need a pirate ship or a special map to claim the Tar Heel Treasure left behind by departing students, but a big truck might come in handy. Tar Heel Treasure is a giant community yard sale being held from 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturday (May 15) at the Dean E. Smith Center on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Now in its second year, Tar Heel Treasure is a campus initiative that has changed UNC’s end-of-year move-out waste practices. Through the program, goods that might otherwise have been discarded when students leave residence halls are collected and offered for sale to the campus and community.
Last spring, more than eight tons of abandoned furniture and almost four tons of discarded shoes and clothing were part of the bounty salvaged after students moved out of residence halls. Among the things to look for at this year’s sale are bedding, clothing, carpets, toys, equipment, computers, printers, fans, fixtures, appliances, electronics, furniture, food and cleaning supplies. Any remaining items will be donated to local charities.
Tar Heel Treasure not only reduces landfill waste and provides access to items at bargain prices, but also raises money for charitable causes. The first Tar Heel Treasure sale, held last spring, raised about $7,000 for the Eve Marie Carson Memorial Junior-Year Merit Scholarship. Proceeds from this year’s sale will benefit Build a Block, the campus partnership with Habitat for Humanity that aims to build 10 homes for UNC and hospital employees in Phoenix Place, an affordable green-certified subdivision under construction in Chapel Hill.
For more information on the event, visit the Tar Heel Treasure website at http://www.tarheeltreasure.unc.edu/.
Tar Heel Treasure contact: Larry Hicks
