To the editor:

Ever wonder where all your stuff goes at the Rotary Auction? Of course, most of it goes to your friends and neighbors to raise money for wonderful Island causes!

There is a subset of stuff, however, that goes unsold because it is unsellable, broken, or there is simply too much of that thing that year.

That’s where we come in: the Green Team is a huge group of volunteers that works to minimize waste and maximize profits at the auction. We help find homes for things that can’t be sold, by connecting useful items with nonprofits that need them or by recycling as many components as we can.

All of us who donate to the auction can also help in a few key ways. The first is to not bring items that Rotary can’t sell, like chemicals, prescription meds, certain large appliances, etc. The auction website, www.bainbridgerotaryauction.org, has a full list under auction donations (What We Do Not Accept).

Also, please don’t unintentionally bring things we cannot sell by taking a few moments to check those boxes that have waited patiently in your home for donation week, to ensure they do not contain an interesting variety of items you did not intend to gift us. Some past examples include: dentures, broken glass and deceased rodents (yikes!).

Items we cannot upcycle or recycle have to be sent to the landfill, which costs Rotary money (more than $15K in disposal costs last year) and takes away from the profits of this great event.

We appreciate your help in making sure the donations we get find a new home and continuing to give back to our community. Thanks, and see you at the auction!

SARAH ALBEE AND DEB RUDNICK

Co-Chairs, Bainbridge Island Rotary Auction and Rummage Sale Green Team