OS to co-sponsor Rummage in the Ramp
July 08, 2010
For many in Iowa City and the surrounding areas, the end of July means the end of a rental agreement and relocation. And for some that means tossing unwanted household items to the curb, bound for the landfill. The University of Iowa’s Office of Sustainability is continuing its support of the City of Iowa City in its efforts to keep these items out of the landfill by hosting Rummage in the Ramp.
“The sale works with students, landlords, local nonprofit organizations, and other City staff in an effort to redirect those discarded possessions from the landfill to the City's biggest garage sale,” said Jennifer Jordan, recycling coordinator for the City of Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center. “This is the fourth year we’ve organized Rummage in the Ramp and we hope the sale will be bigger than ever.”
Rummage in the Ramp runs from Sunday, July 25 through Monday, August 2, and will once again take place in the Chauncey Swan Parking Ramp under the College Street Bridge.
The event serves three purposes:
- Keep still-usable items out of the landfill
By donating no-longer-needed clean furniture, housewares, clothing, books, and other items to Rummage in the Ramp -- instead of tossing them in a dumpster or depositing them on the curb -- tons of still-usable items stay out of the landfill. Many renters also find proper disposal helps to ensure their security deposit doesn’t go to pay dumping fines.
- Offer items for sale
Donated items will be offered for sale so that incoming students and other members of the community can purchase them at affordable prices. As in previous years, most items will be sold for $1, $5, $10 or $20.
- Help support local nonprofits and student groups
Local nonprofit organizations and several student groups that help provide staffing for Rummage in the Ramp divide the profits from the sale, thereby helping to raise funds for their organizations.
Donation times and sales hours will run simultaneously, which on most days will be noon to 8 p.m. Extended hours are scheduled for Saturday, July 31, when the event will begin at 8 a.m. Pick-up service for people who want to donate items but have no way to transport them to the ramp will also be available again this year for a small fee. Online sign-up will be available on July 15.
Start setting your donations aside and if you run across some great still-usable items at the curb or the dumpster and you've got extra room available, please consider rescuing and temporarily storing the items until they can be donated to Rummage in the Ramp later this month.
More information is available online, http://www.icgov.org/rummageintheramp or by contacting Rebecca Raab with the City of Iowa City, rebecca-raab@iowa-city.org, 319-356-5231.
University of Iowa organizations volunteering at the Rummage:
Association of Latino's Moving Ahead
Environmental Coalition
Engineers for a Sustainable World
Engineers Without Borders
Graduate Student Senate
Homecoming Committee
TransCollaborations
Travel for Change
Urban Planning Student Association
Women in Science and Engineering
Women's Ultimate Frisbee
