The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) held its Charity Garage Sale in the covered car park yesterday (3 December) with over 190 tables selling new and secondhand items.
Started in October 1996, the biannual Garage Sale has ranked amongst the University’s leading green initiatives. It was founded by Ms Jean Hudson to fulfill the wish of her then 7-year-old twin daughters to dispose of their unwanted toys and clothes. The sale displays an extensive variety of exciting new and preloved goods including toys, games, books, household items, jewellery, clothes, accessories etc. The stall holders include HKUST students, staff and alumni as well as civic-minded members of the general public.
Ms Hudson noted that the Garage Sale is a community fun day out for the whole family, for the benefit of everyone in the community as well as the environment. A roaring success since its inception, the event has been seeing more and more participants over the years, matched with an increase in vending tables from 56 at the start to this year’s record high of 194.
In line with the Reduce-Reuse-Recycle (3Rs) campaign, the Garage Sale is a living embodiment of the commitment of HKUST to environmental sustainability. As in previous years, the proceeds from the table hire of the sale in winter will be donated to Operation Santa Claus, a charity event jointly organized by Radio Television Hong Kong and the South China Morning Post.
The funds raised will go to 16 charitable organizations under four areas, namely children and young people, elderly, medical Issues and physical and mental disabilities.
In addition to selling goods, charity donation boxes were set up in the entrance to the Garage Sale for clothes, toys, books and household items in good condition. They are to be donated to charities selected by HKUST students. Notice boards for requesting and displaying advertisements for items and services were also available.
