Last year, 63.4 tons of donated materials were turned into more than $62,000.
The philanthropic event known as Trash to Treasure began as an answer to Penn State's waste management problem. Now it is a campus-wide effort, allying with the Centre County United Way to save previously owned belongings from ending up in landfills.
But what happens after a student drops off that rolled-up rug and lamp in their dorm lobby?
That's the question John Patishnock set out to answer when he began production of Trash to Treasure: The Movie.
Patishnock was approached by the co-founders of the event about filming a movie a few months before this summer's sale. By the end, he had more than 60 hours of film that he cut down into an hour and 10 minutes for the premiere of the film, which will be shown tomorrow in Eisenhower Auditorium.
Patishnock set out to educate and inspire students about the sale, but soon was inspired himself.
"Seeing the amount of work the volunteers put into the event, I don't think there is any obstacle they can't overcome," he said.
Patishnock said what really surprised him was the ripple effect the film has on the community.
"It's not just about waste management anymore," he said. "It's about changing the world."
The film will showcase the hours of work and preparation from committee members and volunteers that go into the sale. Patishnock made sure to show every angle of the story, interviewing school officials, waste management directors and even Penn State President Graham Spanier.
Patishnock said he hopes the film will show students when they donate, they are a part of something bigger than themselves.
"You're going to see faces put towards the numbers," he said.
Patishnock said the film was a huge collaborative effort by everyone involved in the philanthropy.
"Far too many people were involved to even consider it 'my' movie," he said.
The film showcases not only the community benefits the event has, but the financial bonuses as well. Penn State saves money every year on Trash to Treasure, since it no longer has to ship as much material to the landfills.
Patishnock and the committee hope the film will inspire other college campuses.
He's dispersing the film to
other universities across the country, and the filmmaker is submitting the film to the Sundance
Film Festival next week.
"This is the chance for Penn State students to see it before the Sundance committee," Patishnock said.
