Dump & Run 2006 will recycle and sell leftover items from students, faculty and staff to benefit local charities

Cornell's fourth annual Dump & Run collection of discarded items to benefit local charities is under way. May 20 is the deadline for most collection spots across campus. June 1 is the final date for Schuyler House, Hughes Hall, Maplewood and Hasbrouck Apartments.

Students in a rush to move out after a hectic finals week can dump items they no longer want or cannot fit into their cars or suitcases into Dump & Run collection boxes located all over campus. Staff, faculty and community members are also encouraged to donate.

Dump & Run accepts almost all donations: nonperishable food, clothing, shoes, books, electronics, kitchenware, toiletries, decorations, school supplies, furniture and more. The only items that will not be accepted are trash, foam mattress pads, underwear and socks.

Collection boxes have been placed in undergraduate residence halls, graduate housing communities, cooperative houses, sororities, community centers, Sage Hall atrium, Statler Hall student lounge, the Vet College, Law School, Willard Straight Hall, Day Hall mailroom and Humphreys Service Building.

For those who do not live on campus, Dump & Run will arrange home pickups through mid-June. To schedule a pickup, contact Mike Mott at mm52@cornell.edu or 255-0295, providing at least 48 hours notice.

Volunteers will sort collected items during the summer and sell them at a huge yard sale during Orientation Weekend -- Aug. 19 and 20 -- in Helen Newman Hall gym. All proceeds will benefit three local charities: Cops, Kids and Toys, which helps local families provide holiday gifts for their children; The Advocacy Center, which provides free services, support and educational programs for women and children who have encountered sexual abuse and harassment, abusive relationships or domestic violence; and The Dream Factory, which helps make wishes come true for children ages 3 to 18 diagnosed with critical or chronic illnesses.

"Campus Life is proud to partner with our students in supporting Dump & Run for the entire Cornell community," said LeNorman J. Strong, assistant vice president for student and academic services. "Dump & Run turns trash into cash to support very deserving local charities. It helps members of our community dispose of unwanted items in a responsible manner while allowing others to find some great bargains, and diverting tons of still-usable items from the waste stream. Perhaps most important, it is a student-initiated effort that provides an invaluable learning opportunity to practice sustainability, community involvement and civic engagement."

Dump & Run Inc. is a national organization that has raised thousands of dollars for charitable groups. The Cornell chapter was founded in 2003. Its efforts are supported by Campus Life and the Campus Life Student Advisory Committee. For more information or to volunteer, contact Cindy Sobieski at cgs29@cornell.edu

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