Friendly music and the smell of home-baked cookies invited students onto the lawn in front of Founders for the Pakistan Flood Relief Flea Market on Sept. 22. The event was everything that the name implies: a fundraiser for flood victims that doubled as a market for affordable second-hand goods.

Prior to the event, the Guilford Peace Society (GPS) went door-to-door down the campus’s residence halls in search of donations for their member-run flea market. The student response was overwhelmingly positive.

“We got a lot more things than anticipated,” said GPS President and junior Sarah Stangl.

By the time students started trickling out onto the event site, the flea market tables were overloaded with an assortment of clothes, books, and other miscellaneous goods. Even a miniature refrigerator made it to the scene. The display, erected on the grassy patches outside of the walkways, attracted many a passerby.

“Everything goes to a good cause,” said senior Alex Thibadeau. “It’s great.”

A cheerful atmosphere permeated the event, strangers engaging in open conversation as they filed through the neatly stacked piles of clothing.

“I’m impressed,” said first-year Anny Bolgiano. “I’ve always liked how Guilford students dress, and now I can buy their second-hand clothes.”

“The selection is really interesting,” commented first-year Cappa Cheatham. “There’s something for everyone.”

GPS is known for peace-positive activism, having participated in rallies, protests, and fundraisers. The flea market is one of the many manifestations of the organization’s awareness-promoting activities.

“We wanted to raise money, one of the most needed assets in Pakistan right now,” Stangl said. “I thought about the last time I moved, and how much excess stuff I had — that’s how the idea for a flea market came about.”

The flea market was partly an outlet for the GPS to educate students about the flooding in Pakistan. With long-term damages, particularly in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, keeping awareness high and apathy low is important. The fundraiser opened conversation about the needs of those affected by the flood.

“We’ve talked a lot about how the flooding is not covered enough by the media,” said GPS member and sophomore Emma Lovejoy.

“A lot of people still don’t know about it,” said Stangl. “Our media only reports things with sensational value. Once the newsflash is over, people forget about it.”

Students and GPS members alike were positive about the flea market’s impact on the flood relief cause. By the end of the day, the event raised a total of $565. The profits will be donated to Doctors Without Borders, a humanitarian organization working with the flood victims.

“I think it’s great students are raising money,” said first-year Skip Johnson. “Everything counts.”

“First of all, it’s fun,” said Bolgiano. “But it obviously benefits a cause too — that’s important.”

GPS encourages students to have the mindset that every individual can make a difference, even on an international level. An event like the GPS’s one-day flea market — by bringing the campus together for a good cause — exemplifies potential of the Guilford College community to extend aid and awareness to others.

“When dealing with catastrophes like this, it’s hard to feel like you can personally do things about it,” said Stangl.

GPS is always looking for people that want to get involved, whether on a local or international level. The group can be contacted by their e-mail at [email protected].