GREENEVILLE – Terrific weather and attractive and useful items contributed to a highly successful Alumni Yard Sale that raised nearly $2,600 for Tusculum University’s Dorm Refresh Campaign.
A family shows items it purchased at the yard sale.
The yard sale took place Saturday, July 22, at Tusculum’s Welcome Center and brought a steady stream of customers from the community throughout the four hours the event was held. Many customers left with their arms full or pulled a wagon with their haul.
“We are ecstatic with the turnout and the support we received from the community for this important initiative to support our students,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president. “Our alumni reinforced their love of their alma mater by driving this event and demonstrating their commitment to see today’s students have just as memorable of an experience at Tusculum as they did. The collaborative spirit and can-do approach taking place in this campaign are yielding impressive results.”
Bob Kleinertz, president of the Alumni Executive Board and a 1976 graduate, brainstormed the idea for the yard sale and led the efforts to make it successful. AEB members who volunteered their time and support during the event and their graduation years were Angelo Botta, 1975; Peggy Brewer, 1989; Bill Dunham, 1973; Carol Brightman Eggert, 1976; Tiffany Greer, 2015; David Misener, 1978; Dr. Jane Morse, 1977; Joan O’Dell, 1977; Jackie Rose, 1975; Monica Willingham, 1997 and 1999; and Kenneth Winterbauer, 1973.
Tusculum alumni Kenneth Winterbauer, right and David Misener, center, speak with a customer at the yard sale.
They collaborated with Belle Kemp, director of alumni and community engagement, who is leading the Dorm Refresh Campaign. In addition, Jolin Hawk, a 2005 and 2011 graduate, who now works in the Office of Institutional Advancement, assisted with the yard sale.
Kemp said several alumni throughout the country donated items for the sale. The farthest away was Wayne Eichele, a 1973 graduate, who lives in Ventura, California. The Office of Alumni Engagement will continue to sell the remaining Invicta watches and chinaware. To purchase any of these items, please contact Kemp at 423-636-0565 or bkemp@tusculum.edu.
The university donated the remaining items to local churches and ministries.
“Raising nearly $2,600 at the yard sale was a fantastic outcome, and I am thankful to my fellow alumni and the community for making this event so meaningful,” Kleinertz said. “Dorms are such an important element of the collegiate experience for residential students. Our alumni welcome the opportunity to enrich the lives of today’s Pioneers and provide an optimal space for them to study, have fun and build relationships that will last forever.”
Customers peruse the different items available at the yard sale.
Tusculum has a goal of raising $110,000 to pay for items such as new furniture, flooring and ceiling fans as well as fresh paint and enhanced lighting in the residence halls. The university has received about $63,100 so far.
Anyone who is interested in donating to the campaign can visit www.tusculum.edu/giving. Donors can also mail a check, made payable to Tusculum University, to the Office of Institutional Advancement at P.O. Box 5040, Greeneville, TN, 37745. Please note that the check is for the Dorm Refresh Campaign.
Additional information about the campaign is available at https://site.tusculum.edu/dorm-refresh/. Further detail about Tusculum’s residence halls is accessible at https://site.tusculum.edu/housing-2/. To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.