HANSVILLE — This coming weekend, the Greater Hansville community is providing every garage sale shopper’s greatest dream — an entire community center and park full of reasonably priced used items just waiting to be snatched up.
The Hansville Rummage Sale has become the biggest fund raiser for the Greater Hansville Commmunity Center over the years, and last year drew thousands of shoppers, all looking for great deals and neighborhood fun. This year should be no different as an army of 60 or so volunteers prepare for the influx of garage sale goers.
“For the most part, it’s pretty much the same,” said event chairman Howie O’Brien. “We’ve made some minor changes, we’re going to have a new cashier (system). Some people get tired waiting in line for so long. We still have the refreshment stand. The hours are a little different this year as well.”
Instead of starting the sale early on Sunday, volunteers will begin the second leg at 11 a.m. O’Brien said in previous years it hasn’t been as busy Sunday mornings because residents like to have brunch, go to church or sleep in. All items will also be half-priced on Sunday, he said, though there won’t be the same selection available.
The sale also hosts a silent auction for some of the larger items, which will include two sail boards with sails, a hand crafted Italian bed, an antique 1 cent gumball machine, several wood stoves, an electric guitar, a piano, a wood lion, a wireless weather station and an electric organ, among other things.
“One thing we did get was a bed, and Italian hand-carved bed,” said personnel co-chairwoman Debra Bean. “It splits apart so you can either have a twin bed or a California king bed. It’s beautiful.”
There will also be a new home decor section, she said, and all the other areas are full to bursting at the seams with items donated by residents during the past seven months. The toy area in the Hansville Preschool is particularly wonderful this year, guaranteeing almost every child will find a plaything or game. Furniture of all kinds will likely appeal to the older demographic attending the sale, along with the appliance, clothing, sporting, electronic and kitchen sections.
In addition to the 60 volunteers already working to make the sale happen, about 20 more will join their ranks to help with checkout and assist shoppers, O’Brien said.
“With Lynn (Hix) and myself as personnel directors, it just doesn’t seem as daunting this year,” Bean said. “The whole process seems streamlined because of the work Howie’s been putting into it. The operation seems like such a breeze, and you really get to know the volunteers… All the volunteers are just sensational this year.”