Losing things can be depressing. But finding something that someone else lost can be an uplifting experience. Today and Tuesday, people can capitalize on someone else’s mistake at the treasure trove known as the Lost & Found Sale.
The event is held in the EMU River Room from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today. All found items are priced at $5 or less. Tuesday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., everything left will be half price. The money raised will go toward the administrative costs of running the lost and found.
People can find a wide array of items, from common umbrellas to the more exotic fiesta hats.
“Monday morning, people line up at the door, waiting to get in. So get there early, and get your elbows ready,” said Katie Plein, lost and found coordinator.
People who lost items and assumed they were gone for good should take heart: Computer records are maintained of every item that passes through the lost and found office, and as long as the item can be properly identified, the lost and found employees will return the item with a smile.
People who have lost something within the last couple of months don’t need to fret: The Lost & Found Sale will not vend anything they have received within the last two months. Instead, they’ll wait for their spring sale to shed these items.
The prices are low, and the intentions are good.
“There are a lot of things that are worth quite a bit of money, and everything is under five bucks,” said Stephanie Winchester, coffee house and recreation manager.
The sale is not about making a huge profit, but about making space for the constant influx of new items. The sales occur only twice a year.
Chessa Grasso, last year’s lost and found coordinator, advocates the sale.
“People should come because it’s like the ultimate Goodwill,” Grasso said. “It’s college students’ stuff, so you don’t even have to weed through anything. It’s pretty much stuff you’re going to want because it’s all lost on a college campus.”
The sale’s profits go toward lost and found’s costs for equipment, supplies and additional staff time. Because the lost and found doesn’t receive any service fees from the University, the bi-annual sales events are an important source of revenue.
“We try and make the stuff as cheap as possible, because we are trying to get rid of everything,” Plein said. Unsold items will be donated to the Eugene Mission.