Tye Dye Thom raises money for Alternative Breaks

Tie Dye Thom wants students to get groovy.

Thom, a Pittsburgh native, is visiting Central Michigan University for the third time.

He will sell wool gloves, muklucks, scarves, sandals, shirts and Bob Marley merchandise from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today in front of the Central Box Office in the Bovee University Center basement. His sale started Monday.

The money is not just for himself — 50 percent of the profit goes toward the Alternative Breaks program.

“It’s important to say I’m going to do the best I can do,” Thom said, sorting through boxes full of merchandise.

Returning the favor

In August 2005, Thom lived in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. His home was badly damaged and the entire neighborhood was flooded.

But things started to improve when a group of Alternative Breaks students arrived, eager to help.

The volunteers dedicated their entire spring break to disaster relief and made it their mission to clean up the city.

Thom said the students even brought a neighbor — who had a reputation of being hostile — to tears after cleaning her yard.

From that moment, Thom said he knew he had to someday repay the program. So today, he travels from school to school, raising money for Alternative Breaks by selling his goods.

Thom is making trips Michigan State University, University of Michigan, Oakland University, Northern Kentucky University and Bowling Green State University, to name a few.

The self-described “hippie” said he plans on visiting the schools once each fall and spring semester for as long as he can.

“Thom’s great,” said Macomb senior Scott Hillman, a student involved with Alternative Breaks and the Volunteer Center. “He’s a very unique fundraiser.”

‘Not really a job’

Thom said he gets a lot of his merchandise from free trade and fair trade agreements with various people, and most his stuff comes from Tuff Gong International, a company owned and operated by Bob Marley’s family.

Before selling clothing, Thom would follow the bands Phish and the Grateful Dead on tours during the 90s, selling grilled cheese sandwiches at different college venues.

When he is not selling merchandise to college kids for Alternative Breaks, he works for an aerial photography business called Madison House.

Rockford senior Danielle Schmutz is one of the students that benefits Thom’s funds.

“I love it,” she said. “It’s not really a job. It’s something I really love to do, and I’m really lucky to work for the program.”

Thom hopes to raise as much as he can.

“What’s the point of having money if you have no where to spend it?” Thom said.