By Cara Leahy, Student Reporter
Students can take a break from studying Monday to attend this semester’s Midnight Breakfast and Dead Day Recycling event.
The Midnight Breakfast, which occurs every Dead Day of finals week, begins at 10:30 p.m. and continues until midnight. Students can use meal plans or Bean Bucks to attend the breakfast in the “World Famous Bean.” In previous years, the event has included karaoke and door prizes.
“I went freshman year, and I have to say, there’s no better treat before finals than breakfast at midnight,” said Kelly Jo Scott, junior theatre major from Gardner, Kan.
Also on Monday is Dead Day Recycling, an activity that allows students to recycle unwanted clothing and furniture, which benefits the homeless supported by Love and Care Ministries and the refugees supported by the International Rescue Committee.
Dead Day Recycling, located in the Brown Library parking lot, begins at noon and continues until 3 p.m., giving students the chance to help those in need.
Students who give donations also will receive a free Cajun Cone, as well as the opportunity to browse through the donated clothing.
“The trading is just for T-shirts and clothes, so if you bring a T-shirt, you can get a T-shirt you like,” said Caitlin Winegeart, junior accounting major from Abilene.
Winegeart is one of the students who organized the event.
“We’ve been doing this for the past seven or eight years, and it looks a little bit different each year,” she said.
Last year, so much was donated it took four pickup trucks to deliver the clothing to the organization, she said.
“Essentially why the Dead Day started was to alleviate dumpster-diving at the end of the semester; and a lot of the stuff gets thrown out, and a lot of it’s useable,” Winegeart said.
The plan this year is to collect both clothing and whatever other donations students choose to provide. Winegeart said she hoped to see more furniture in this year’s event, all of which will go to refugee families and Abilene’s homeless.
All clothing left over from trading will be donated, along with all household items and furniture, to Love and Care Ministries and the IRC, which works to help settle refugee families in Abilene.
“We’re hoping students have enough stuff packed that they know what they could give away,” Winegeart said.
