They may not “make ’em like they used to,” but a lot of what they used to make is still around and will be available at the upcoming barn sale hosted by the Old Mission Women’s Club.
This year’s sale will take place on Saturday, May 19, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Brys lavender drying barn at 13400 Center Road (corner of Center Road and Blue Water Road).
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The new sale venue offers convenient parking, not to mention additional space, allowing the club to display small furniture pieces along with the usual sale items such as toys, tools, small luggage, lamps, holiday items, linens and rugs, kitchen ware, jewelry and accessories, pictures and home decor, sporting equipment and much, much more.
Dozens of volunteers will spend the week before the sale organizing, pricing and displaying the amazing assortment of merchandise. Some things are predictably included and others, like the $800 diamond earrings once donated, are quite unexpected. Sharp eyes of experienced sellers catch the occasional valuable discovery, and attempts are made to sell them at market price. This year, even the sale space is generously donated by club member Eileen Brys, whose family operates Brys Estate Vineyard and Winery on Blue Water Road.
While participating in the sale is fun for club members, their aim is to maximize profits in order to carry out their philanthropic goal of providing financial grants to 501(c) (3) organizations that operate in the Grand Traverse area. Each year the club identifies worthy nonprofit groups and presents the grants at their late April meeting. Check out the 2018 grant recipients here.
The Old Mission Women’s Club, which now has more than 125 members, was organized on the Old Mission Peninsula more than 80 years ago as a charitable and educational group. Grants have increased over the years as fundraising efforts have broadened and netted larger sums.
Other fundraisers include the annual Christmas Cookie Sale in December, sale of cookies to the Bayshore Marathon organizers on Memorial Day weekend, staffing Parade of Homes sites during the summer, and miscellaneous events such as Benjamin Twiggs’ Day in May, when a portion of profits is given to the club.
Inevitably, there are treasures that do not sell, but arrangements are made to pass along unsold items to local charitable organizations. In the past, OMWC has enlisted Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan to collect and transport remaining articles. This year, arrangements have been made with the Salvation Army in Traverse City.
This is a one-day sale and coincides with Blossom Days hosted by the Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula (WOMP) and the annual Treasure Sale at the OMP United Methodist Church. So mark your calendars and plan to arrive early and stay late to get the best “stuff” and benefit wonderful community organizations at the same time.
