While Boston University students dragged themselves to their early morning classes, 96-year-old Alice Seale was busy overseeing BU's second annual Vintage Bazaar and Book Sale.
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, students and members of the BU community perused through a variety of vintage items available for purchase in the Metcalf Ballroom of the George Sherman Union.
Seale, a retired nurse and BU alum, is the BU Women's Council house preservation committee chair.
She said she has long been affiliated with the BU community and came up with the idea for the bazaar two years ago.
"I realized the Women's Council needed an event to raise more money," she said.
With the help of fellow BUWC members, Seale wrote the proposal for the event and made the sale a reality.
All proceeds from the bazaar were donated to the BUWC Scholarship Fund to benefit female graduate students at BU.
BUWC, located at 146 Commonwealth Ave., awards an annual scholarship to women in the graduate program at BU, Seale said.
The scholarship fund mainly relies on outside contributions, she said.
Now, thanks to Seale, BUWC has another source of income.
Last year, the organization raised enough money to fund one full scholarship for graduate study, she said.
Diane Gallagher, co-chair of BUWC, said Seale was the big driving force behind the event.
"Alice really wanted money to go into the scholarship fund," she said.
Gallagher said Seale and the other women who volunteered their time are "extremely dedicated."
Members of the BUWC donated most of the items on display, which included vintage men's and women's clothing, jewelry, art and an array of used books.
Liz Gribin, artist and member of the BUWC, donated a large portion of the items that were on sale.
"I donated two big boxes of hand-crocheted bedspreads and tablecloths that belonged to my husband's grandmother," she said. "He wanted me to donate them to a museum, but I didn't listen. I also donated two paintings, books, purses, a salad bowl, a silver creamer and some of my own drawings and prints."
BUWC secretary Eleanor Jensen said the future of the event depends on how cost-effective it is.
"It takes a lot to organize this event so it needs to be profitable," Jensen said.
Seale, on the other hand, said she might take next year off, but that she is extremely pleased with the outcome of the event.
Seale and Gallagher both agreed that the sale is popular among BU students.
"Earlier, a young woman came up to me and gave me two $20 bills," Gallagher said. "She said she would like to donate them to BUWC because she was one of our scholarship recipients. Isn't that great?"
School of Hospitality Administration freshman Maryanne Sutton said she enjoyed browsing through the vintage items.
"I like that [BUWC] gives more opportunities to women who may not have had the chance to go to graduate school. I also thought all of the clothing was adorable," she said. "There were several "Cosby' sweaters I wanted to buy."
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