When Alex Tepperman showed up at UC’s Junior Common Room Wednesday morning, he was shooed away. U of T sororities were having a charity denim sale, and had rented out the entire space.
“It’s this tiny, tiny minority putting out hundreds of students who use the JCR every day,” Tepperman groused.
So the Diabolo’s regular organized his own “JCR alternative” in the UC quad, complete with music, cookies, and instant coffee.
Inside, discounted pairs of designer jeans were going for $80 to $110. Half of the proceeds will be used to fund scholarships for undergraduate women, while the other half will be donated to a charity promoting the education of women in Africa, explained Heather Dichter, a leader of sorority charity drives in the Toronto area.
“It’s difficult finding a large space on campus for an entire day,” she said. And renting out the JCR only cost them about $10 per hour, according to Kris Moore, who handles rentals of the space.
The denim sale did not sit well with Chelsea Mayne and Joshua Perry, a pair of second-year students lounging on one of the couches.
“Charity itself is a symptom of our capitalist system,” reasoned Perry. “Our overabundance of wealth is causing many of the problems in other countries.”
Mayne agreed with Perry’s assessment, but also showed a pragmatic streak. “Do you know how hard good jeans are to find?”
-Mike Ghenu
