NU turns trash into treasure

Niagara University’s community garage sale program raises $1,700 for student programming

Niagara University’s “2 Good 2 Toss” community garage sale program raised nearly $1,700 this year for student outreach programs – while also keeping hundreds of reusable items out of landfills.

This was the seventh year of the program, which began in 2012 as a service project organized by members of the university’s Vincentian Mission certificate program. At the end of each academic year, students (and employees) are invited to donate unwanted, but usable, items in good condition instead of tossing them in Dumpsters or leaving them behind before summer break begins. Relo storage cubes, supplied at no charge by ABF Freights, are placed around campus as drop-off locations for these donations, which are then sold at a university-sponsored community sale. Any items that are unsold are donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society.

This year’s sale, held May 22, raised $1,697, which was directed to Campus Ministry for student programs. Since this initiative began, nearly $13,000 has been raised.

“ ‘Too Good to Toss’ has provided, and continues to provide, our students with experiences that would, quite simply, not be possible without this endeavor,” said campus minister Ashley Gruhalla. “Our students are experiencing God in incredibly tangible ways, building lifelong friendships, and living our Vincentian charism to the fullest, because of this great effort and the community’s amazing generosity.”

The “2 Good 2 Toss” committee, chaired by Virginia Pasceri and Derek Puff, includes Niagara University employees Michelle Smith-Link, Beverly Junevic, Sharon Green, Howard Morgan, Kristina Daloia, Ashley Gruhalla, Teresa Slipko, Dana Wieczorek and Mike Skowronski.