Each spring Carleton College students donate unwanted possessions to the Center for Community and Civic Engagement (CCCE) for its annual Lighten Up sale, held during the College’s reunion weekend. This year’s Lighten Up sale will be held at West Gym on Friday, June 15 from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. and on Saturday, June 16 from 8:00 a.m. until noon. The CCCE advises shoppers that the best bargains can often be found early in the sale.

The gym will be filled with the donated belongings of Carleton’s student body. Items on sale can include clothing (including winter gear), books, sporting goods, household items, furniture, bedding, electronics and a wide variety of other items.

Proceeds from the sale are typically split between three Northfield nonprofits: Project Friendship, which teams up with Carleton and St. Olaf students to offer mentoring programs for local youth; The Key (Northfield Union of Youth), a nonprofit youth center run by young people; and the Northfield Area Special Olympics, which offers opportunities for disabled people to get involved in sports. Last year Lighten Up raised over $26,500 for the three nonprofits.

The College’s Center for Community and Civic Engagement encourages students to donate to Lighten Up, not only because of the money raised but because donating goods is an excellent means of recycling. Donation bags are dropped at student residences; students can then drop their bags at a collection point, which are usually on the first floor of most residence halls. Lighten Up accepts any and all items offered—the only condition is that nothing is dangerous or broken.

For more information regarding the event, contact Kelly Scheuerman at (507) 222- 7019. Students with questions can also speak with their resident advisors or visit the CCCE in Sayles-Hill 150. The West Gym is located off Highway 19 East on the Carleton College campus in Northfield.

Editor's note: Written by Jacob Cohn '13