Looking to get rid of old records and CDs?
The Manitoba Chamber Orchestra will pick them up from you for free
It could be that you’re looking to downsize as you transition into condos or a smaller living space. Or it could be that you’re looking to de-clutter your homes to make it more presentable to prospective buyers. Maybe you’ve simply transferred all your favourite tunes to your iPod or mp3 player.
At some point, it’s not unlikely that you’ll want to pass on your old vinyl and CD collection to someone else. If you live in the Winnipeg area, the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra is only too happy to pick them up from you for free. This could save you the trouble of searching for a new home for your collection, which too often ends up being the Brady Road landfill.
Just give the MCO a ring at 204-783-7377 and a volunteer will come to you, at your convenience, to pick things up.
By donating your used records and CDs to the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, you’ll be supporting a non-profit with deep roots in the Winnipeg community.
Taking advantage of the resurgent interest in vinyl among young people, the MCO sells used records and CDs as part of a fundraiser known as Vinyl Vault. The event takes place on the last Saturday of each month, September-June, in the basement of the Power Building downtown. It’s grown into a funky event, drawing in young hipsters and veteran collectors alike. They engage in lively conversations about politics, music, and vinyl over the warm strains of jazz, rock and folk records before leaving with a backpack full of neat new pickings.
Part of what keeps the sale popular is that the MCO doesn’t mark up collectibles or highly sought-after records. Not long ago, MCO volunteers tell me that a young customer mined out a mint vinyl copy of Purple Rain by Prince, which she took home for the same price the MCO charges for every record — $3. With CDs going for a mere 75 cents, the vault is certainly among the cheapest music sales in the city.
The MCO depends exclusively on donations to keep the Vinyl Vault’s shelves stocked, so keep it in mind if you’re thinking of parting ways with some or all of your music collection. Even a small donation to the vault can mean that some young Winnipegger discovers your favourite records of yesteryear. The proceeds raised from the VAULT help to ensure that the MCO — described as Canada’s “tiny, perfect orchestra” (Toronto Sun) — can continue to present top musicians, such as James Ehnes, to local audiences. It also ensures that the MCO can go on delivering invaluable outreach and concerts to Northern communities, including Churchill, the Pas, Thompson, Grand Rapids, Snow Lake, Flin Flon and Cormorant Lake.