CATTS
Logs On To eBay to Help Raise Money for
Legal Fees
StopnDrop
Auctions CEO offers services for fundraiser
By: Danette
Fertig-Thompson
A citizens group opposed
to the construction of a trash transfer
station in Jefferson County is turning
to eBay to raise
money for its legal fight.
The unique idea of using
the online auction as a fundraiser came
from Darrin Eilers, chief executive officer
of StopnDrop
Auctions, 12362 Olive Blvd. in Creve
Coeur. Eilers’ business recently
agreed to partner with Citizens Against
the Trash Transfer Station (CATTS) with
the goal of raising a significant amount
of money in a short time to help pay for
CATTS’ legal bills in its action
against the Jefferson County Commission.
StopnDrop is the area’s
only business that offers a service for
turning unwanted items into cash by selling
them on eBay.
For a commission, StopnDrop will do all the work of
selling items on eBay, including writing
and posting the listing, processing payment
and shipping. Once the online auction
ends, the customer gets a check in the
mail for the net proceeds of the sale.
Eilers was born and raised
in Pacific, and his parents, Pacific residents,
are members of CATTS. When he learned
about the group’s legal battle,
he suggested CATTS members could raise
more money in a shorter amount of time
through a StopnDrop fundraiser
rather than count on donations only.
“CATTS is a small
group, and they can’t do this without
help,” Eilers said. “Up until
now, it’s been supported by donations,
largely from members. This is a way for
the community to really get involved.”
CATTS has filed lawsuits
seeking to overturn a Jefferson County
Commission decisions to rezone the trash
transfer station site and to challenge
a decision by the Missouri Department
of Natural Resources to issue a permit
for the facility.
The lawsuits are pending,
even though the plans for the trash transfer
stations temporarily have been stalled.
The Department of Natural
Resources last year issued the permit,
allowing Reliable Disposal Inc., of Pacific
– now IESI – to add a 5,625
square-foot trash transfer station to
the existing waste processing center at
the intersection of highways O and F,
south of Pacific.
The site is just outside
the Franklin County line, in northwestern
Jefferson County. By expanding its operation
there, Reliable planned to increase its
waste processing to include household
waste in addition to construction waste.
At maximum operating capacity, the stations
would have processed about 300 tons of
trash per day.
Members of CATTS now
hope to raise $45,000 (gross) in three
months through the StopnDrop
fundraiser.
Eilers said that goal
can be met if 150 items per month are
sold for CATTS, at an average of $100
per item.
Eilers is waiving the
eBay fees for the group, but CATTS still
will pay the StopnDrop commission.
What CATTS members hope
is that the entire community will get
involved in helping the group with its
fundraising.
Eilers said a lot of
his customers are businesses that have
surplus
or outdated
equipment they want to get rid of
and larger donations that could help CATTS
attain its goal much quicker.
“StopnDrop fundraising
doesn’t require any out-of-pocket
expense, just the donations of valuable
items you have lying around the house
in the attic or basement or garage, or
that businesses have sitting around in
storage,” Eilers said.
Some popular sellers
on eBay are automotive equipment, antiques
and collectibles, musical instruments,
computers and electronics, cameras and
camcorders, audio and video equipment,
high-end brand purses and jewelry, video
game systems, cell phones and PDAs, and
cars, motorcycles, boats and ATVs, Eilers
said.
Anyone wanting to make
a donation to CATTS through StopnDrop can drop off their items at StopnDrop Auctions.
When dropping off items,
participants must mention which items
they want to donate to CATTS. If CATTS
isn’t mentioned, the proceeds from
the sale will be sent to the seller, not
CATTS.
Eilers also said StopnDrop and CATTS are working together
to set up temporary drop-off points in
the community. Anyone interested in hosting
a temporary drop-off point for CATTS can
call Mindy Eilers at (314) 469-3767.
StopnDrop also
offers free pickup service for qualified
participants that have items valued at
$700 or more.
StopnDrop offers on-site
estimates for estates and larger quantities
of items. Estimates are free, and StopnDrop
professionals will take away items that
sell for a minimum of $50 each.
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