Rummage Sale Breaks Records

Thanks to the hard work of many in our church family, the 5^th Annual FPC Rummage Sale, in June 2010, was a rousing success once again, with sales topping the four previous years. Our total receipts, once the dust settled this year, came in at $3333. This surpasses 2006 ($2530), 2007 ($2816), 2008 ($2696) and 2009 ($1855). A few very special donations were even saved for potential E-bay and Deacon’s auction opportunities. Through the efforts of our hardworking volunteers, First Presbyterian has kept tons of no longer needed items out of the landfills, brought smiles to the faces of community shoppers, provided increased donations to SOS, and added a grand total of more than $13,230 to the church bank account, for Christian Education programs for all ages.

Those of us present at the sale on Friday and Saturday met shoppers who repeatedly shared how much they look forward to our sales each year and what a service we bring to the community by sharing our gently used clothing and assorted treasures at rock bottom prices. It warmed our hearts to see folks so delighted by their armload of “finds”. This included the workers (with early shopping privileges) as well as the line of at least 40 folks we had waiting at the door at 6 am on Friday morning. It’s also great fun to watch the Marshfield area bargain hunters help us clean out the fellowship hall by carrying out bag load after bag load on Saturday morning and paying us $1 per bag for their clean-up service.  

Whenever one attempts to thank all who were involved in such a gargantuan project, names may be inadvertently omitted. We apologize in advance for anyone who may have been missed in this year’s long list of devoted rummage sale volunteers. We so appreciate all who donated items, sorted, organized, priced and served as greeters, sales associates and cashiers during the week long event, not to mention those who were able to stay and support the clean up effort after closing on Saturday, making the final run to Goodwill. Topping the list of those we appreciate is our dedicated staff – Harriet Brandt, for all of her phone and office support, tallying the proceeds to keep us pumped during the sale and the generous and delicious lunch she provided for sale workers; Denny Nagel, for all of his help with setting up of tables, tarps, and clothing racks, as well as moving items from place A to place B as we organized and reorganized items; and Ellen Leick, for providing the cash box with sufficient change, and doing all the final bean counting of the monies and tax receipts. If you did not get documentation for your tax purposes, please contact Ellen. We are blessed by our staff’s support, each and every year.

Sincere thanks go to all who had a part in making 2010 a banner year for rummage receipts: Darlene Berry, Patty Brink, Therese and Danielle Brooks, Irene Burrer, Shirley Burt-Overl and Cliff Overli, Janet Crossley, Milca and Deyra Escudero, Margie Fornefelt, Tom & Shirley Forbish, Delmar Gillespie, Terry Gillespie, Sarah Hanson, Adele Heller, Meda Heywood, Darrel Johnson, Cornelia Krahn, Bruce and Nadene Lautenschlager, Mary & Don Mabeus, Sue Nelson, Mary Ousley, Phil Phillips, Carmen Ramirez, Aria and Christy Rens, Mary Jo Siebeneler, Denise, Alexis, & Haley Sonneman, Gayle Strand, Anne Straughan, Cathy Sutterer, Bill Toyama, Becky Volenec, Ruth Voss, Darlene Wagner, Sue Webster, Don and Lyn Zais. 

Ideas for improving our Reduce/Reuse/Recycling tradition are rolling in for the 2011 event, so a planning meeting in January will be scheduled, with anyone interested in having input cordially invited to join us.