OXFORD, Ohio — As graduation day approaches, Miami University’s campus is covered in trucks, boxes and carts, each carrying the contents of a year’s worth of college living.
Thousands of pounds of furniture, bedding, clothes and food leave the residence halls every spring, but former Miami professor Carol Michael has always been more concerned with everything the students leave behind.
“Sixteen years ago, I couldn’t stand the waste anymore, and I went to the city and said we’ve got to do something,” she said.
The solution Michael and city leaders came up with was a donation drive. They contacted local food pantries, secondhand furniture services, and recycling centers around the region in the hopes of providing alternative options for students who couldn’t take all their college stuff home.
Over the years, that drive grew to become ShareFest, but Michael said its initial goals remain unchanged.
Michael works at the ShareFest pickup site
“The first is to share these usable items with people in need,” she said. “Secondly, to help remind Miami University Students that it’s much better to pass things on to people than just discard them, and three, to help protect our environment by keeping all these great things out of the landfill.”
In her 16 years as board president, Michael said she’s been proud to see how much the students have embraced the event.
“2019 was one of our best years, and we passed on 109 tons that were usable that would have otherwise gone to waste,” she said. “That’s a lot, five or these trailers filled to the top.”
Much of that went to Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries, Talawanda-Oxford Food Pantry and Social Services, Butler County Success, and other nonprofits throughout the county.
During the pandemic though, the organization held smaller collection events. Michael hoped 2022 would serve as a return to form.
“It’s been challenging this year because fewer people are volunteering,” she said.
Volunteers pack the truck at ShareFest
For those who are though, Michael said she’s grateful, hoping more students and young people in the Oxford community step up to help.
“It takes a lot of people that are dedicated like these two and others to make it work,” she said.
Volunteers help with sorting through donations and stocking the trucks at the drop-off site, and picking up donations from residence halls.
“Most of the time we have to be speedy with a lot of people coming through,” Michael said.
She credits volunteers and community support for keeping her vision alive 16 years later. Now, she’s hoping another successful year keeps ShareFest alive.
“Because it just isn’t right to waste these usable items,” she said.
ShareFest lasts from May 12 to May 17. Volunteers can still sign up here.
