The Great Garage Sale

by Jim

The idea of a garage sale surfaced during the November 2009 general meeting. It was mulled over during the winter and in March a committee was organized and volunteers stepped forward. Momentum gathered and a call to action was sounded for club members to scour basements, attics and garages for treasurers that had lost their former luster. They would be donated to BCCC and the proceeds used to fund club events. The sale would be held on the spacious semi-circular driveway of Marie and Nigel Wheway’s home. All over the Lower Mainland and out to the Fraser Valley members responded enthusiastically donating boxes and trunk-loads of hoardings. Along with traditional garage sale items were golf tournament winnings, Corvette memorabilia, garden plants and Christmas decorations. Members and friends spent time gathering, sorting and pricing items to ensure the sale would be a success.

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The appointed day, May 8^th arrived. All week long the weatherman had been predicting rain. But not today; today was to be a day of glorious sunshine and warm temperatures. The overhead door on the Wheway garage rolled open early and sunlight flooded in to reveal rows of tables stacked with neatly arranged items waiting for customers. Club members began to arrive to help with the set up. Potential buyers dismayed with offerings at the garage sale next door, rushed through the hedges to help carry tables and setup displays to be first in line for the best selection. By 8:15, well before the scheduled commencement time, the tempo was full throttle with more buyers arriving by the minute. The crowds on the driveway began to resemble those at the annual Army & Navy shoe sale. The frenzy continued in waves for most of the morning. Members continued to deliver more items, many lingering for a coffee and a visit.

Around noon, the women members who had assumed negotiating duties noticed that the throngs of buyers had started to wane. The call for discounts was heard all over the street and it triggered a beehive of activity to adjust prices to enhance their customer appeal. This was a marvelous idea as buyers rushed to take advantage of the bargains. Vigilance paid off again as a few members noticed that fewer customers were stopping into the Great Garage Sale. Fast thinking was called for – yes – five dollar boxes. Customers would be sold empty cardboard boxes to fill with the remaining great deals. It worked! The treasures that previously had not found buyers, now disappeared by the five dollar box full. A great sigh of relief was heard from the sidelines as the male members in their comfortable lawn chairs realized these items would not have to be gathered and stuffed into boxes at the end of the day.   

The activity continued until no more customers could be seen. The time had come to pack up the unsold items for pickup by the Developmental Disabilities Association (DDA). Another flurry of activity ensued, albeit with a little less energy than earlier, as volunteers gathered, sorted, boxed and stacked the left over stuff along a wall of the Wheway garage. At a glance it was clear that the volume of items remaining was meager compared to what had been waiting for the crew just 9 hours earlier. What an achievement!

In reflection, the platters of bunwiches and bowls of goodies were gone. The vegetable tray was empty. The flow of coffee and tea that had continued all day had dried up. The Wheways had been wonderful hosts. The club members who had worked to make the sale a great success agreed that we had had a wonderful day; lots of fun and great conversation. As for the money, the sale brought in $908 and our expenses were $114 that resulted in net proceeds of $794 for the club. The Great Garage Sale was deemed a worthwhile event and a huge success.  

Thank you to all of the people who donated items for the sale. It could not have happened without your generosity. As for all of the members and friends who volunteered and got involved with the Great Garage Sale – thank you!