Rummage Sales
Fri May 10th - Sat May 11th, 2024
Looking to do some house cleaning, as well as support St. Matthew's Episcopal Church community outreach efforts? The Spring and Fall Rummage Sales are two of St. Matthew’s most important outreach initiatives. Twice a year we rescue thousands of items from moldering away in basements or filling our landfills, we sell them to treasure hunters looking to give them a new home, and, what is left, we donate to the needy through the Rescue Mission.
TIPS FOR DECLUTTERING AND LIVING SIMPLER
• Take the 12-12-12 challenge: Find 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate and 12 items to return to their proper location.
• Find an item a day: Find one item a day to donate, recycle or throw away. 365 days later you have a lot less stuff lying around.
• Use the Penicillin Method: Start with one small area and completely declutter it. From that point forward, let no clutter accumulate there. Move on from location to location treating each as if they were inoculated with Penicillin so that no clutter can regrow in those areas.
DONATIONS
We accept clothing in good, clean condition, electronics in good working order, gently used toys, linens, house-wares, etc. No analog TVs or adult books. Larger furniture items need to be approved by a chairperson. By law, we cannot accept child car seats, baby cribs, medical supplies, propane tanks, oil containers, flammables, or tires. Please place your donations in Belmont Hall or on the Church porch.
Through one event we do good for the planet, for our local community, and for the larger Body of Christ! Along the way, we have great fun, build friendships, and enjoy wonderful food. So, please clean out your closets, donate your gently used treasures, and pitch in a few hours as we once again get ready to Rummage!
We believe that Rummage is about far more than the money we raise. We impact people in ways dollars don’t measure. Let us give you two examples. First, Rummage creates space to make real connections as a community. Saturday morning, we had two ladies running the checkout table. For two and half hours, these two remarkable women from two very different generations talked freely, shared stories and worked together. I suspect that without Rummage, that connection would never have been made.
Second, we are helping struggling communities in Haiti and the Phillipines. Anyone who has worked Rummage has heard about our friends, the Haitians. Inez and Marie come each sale and bargain and haggle and shout and cajole. We are convinced that they do it as much for sport as for getting the best deal. After all negotiations are over, they leave with 30 to 40 bags of goods that they ship to families in need in Haiti. This spring, Marie and Inez had company. A woman from the Philippines and her husband purchased 10 bags for those in need in the Philippines. Without the Rummage Sales, these people would have to go through much more effort and expense to collect the items that they ship overseas. In a small way, our efforts support this type of direct international aid.
To all our Rummagers, please visit our Christmas Bazaar page for details on our December Bazaar!
The Three D's of creating true happiness for all:
Declutter - remove all unwanted items from your home
Donate - to your local charity (St. Matthew's Rummage Sale)
Deduct - save money by claiming your donation on your tax return