Skip to content

Habitat for Humanity reveals new Up-Cycle Challenge and Auction fundraising initiative

The city’s do-it-yourself crowd just found a project to keep themselves busy for the next few months. Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay is set to introduce a two-stage fundraiser, ReStore it: Up-Cycle Challenge and Auction. The idea is simple.
373844_91616931
Sue Sikorski, owner of My Painted Door, takes the simple approach on Friday, painting an old children’s chair blue, an example of what entrants in Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay’s ReStore It: Up-Cycle Challenge and Auction. (Leith Dunick, tbnewswatch.com)

The city’s do-it-yourself crowd just found a project to keep themselves busy for the next few months.

Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay is set to introduce a two-stage fundraiser, ReStore it: Up-Cycle Challenge and Auction.
The idea is simple.

Essentially it follows the old saying: one person’s trash is another person’s treasure, said Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay CEO Diane Mitchell.

“Teams of one to four people can come into the ReStore on Aug. 22. They can purchase items for half price off the sticker and then they have four weeks to up-cycle those items into something that would be worth more money, have more value and would fit into a modern home,” Mitchell said.

Teams have four weeks to work their restorative and creative magic.

On Oct. 1 the items will be auctioned off at an event at Reid’s Countrywide Furniture, the money used to help with next year’s Habitat home builds.

“It’s a great way to take something old and make it new. And that’s the thing the ReStore is all about.”

Only items found at the ReStore, located on Squier Street, can be used in the contest, open to professionals and amateurs alike.

A people’s choice vote will also be held at the Oct. 1 event, with items on display at Reids from Sept. 21 until the event day. 

The winner will receive a prize, Mitchell said, adding the team that auctions its creation for the highest amount will also win a prize.

The restorative work can be something a simple as new coat of paint, or as elaborate as turning piano into a basement bar.

Sue Sikorski, owner of My Painted Door, said there are plenty of ideas out there to get would-be participants started.

“There are things like Pinterest out there where people are pinning all kinds of ideas of up-cycles,” she said, demonstrating a simple project during the contest launch, painting an old children’s chair a bright shade of blue.

“I’d say just surf the Internet. There are lots of ideas. Of course we’re all going to be looking on Pinterest, so I think you have to go beyond that and you just have to search deep and come up with maybe your own 100 per cent creative idea.”

 



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
Read more



push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks