APSU says everything must go… to charity

University donates 1,000 pieces of furniture to ReStore

Rawlins, Cross and Killebrew residence halls will be no more.

The three buildings at Austin Peay State University will be torn down and replaced by a new $25.5-million, 416-bed residence hall. But the buildings aren’t a total loss.

APSU, in partnership with American Constructors, donated an estimated 1,000 pieces of furniture from the dormitories to Clarksville’s Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

“We’re thrilled about it,” said ReStore Manager Kathryn Norbeck-Dayley. “It’s mostly beds, close to 395 beds, about 100 night stands, 50 chests, over 300 chairs and about 35 desks.”

The local ReStore sells donated building materials, furniture and major appliances at its 408 Madison St. location. Profits are used locally to build Habitat for Humanity houses for low-income families. In an effort to turn the enormous donation around quickly, ReStore will host a Tent Event in its parking lot from 9 a.m. – noon Saturday.

The furniture will be priced to move, Norbeck said, with solid oak beds at $35-$45, chairs at $15-$20, night stands around $25, chests of drawers from $35-$45 and desks at $55-$65.

Because all of the donated furniture will not fit in ReStore’s warehouse space, Norbeck worked with other Habitat for Humanity locations to share the wealth. The Habitat for Humanity in Hopkinsville, Ky., and ReStore in Glasgow, Ky., are taking some of the furniture. Norbeck said the ReStore got a good deal from Judd Harnage at Fleetco in Nashville on a 40-foot trailer that will be used for storage in the ReStore’s parking lot, but that doesn’t come close to holding 1,000 pieces of furniture.

Norbeck said she would love to sell all of the furniture at Saturday’s Tent Event, but if she can’t, she will work with the local Salvation Army and Goodwill stores to ensure that none of it goes to waste.

The project involves cooperation between many groups and individuals. In addition to Larry Phelps, Alycia Milner, Eric Andrews and Dru Bradley, who work at the ReStore, many volunteers have helped. Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Jennifer Kready and board members Millie and Tom Armstrong helped run the ReStore while the staff was busy collecting donated furniture starting on Wednesday. Volunteers from Deliverance Outreach Temple and SSF Submission Academy also helped with the massive project of removing the furniture from the dorms and loading it into trucks.

Norbeck said she is thankful so many people came together to enable the ReStore to make good use of the generous gift.

“We’re super excited about this donation. We can’t thank Austin Peay and American Constructors enough,” Norbeck said. “The ReStore has two builds (of local Habitat for Humanity houses) this year. This is a great source for income to help us do more builds next year.”

Stacy Leiser, 245-0720
Features reporter
stacyleiser@theleafchronicle.com