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Scouring tables and searching rooms for everything from Barbie dolls to cereal bowls, bargain hunters flooded into the Winnetka Community House May 8. While shoppers were seeking out the sales, others were combing the packed streets for parking spots.
Since the 1900s, the annual Winnetka Congregational Church Rummage Sale has been a tradition and continues to be sponsored by the Women’s Society. The sale is held every year on the second Thursday of May and the doors open at 7 a.m.
The sale offers items as small as Legos to those as large as cars. The sale itself can be a bit daunting and overwhelming to a first timer, but judging from the vast number of shoppers and volunteers it’s more than just a popular event, it’s the sale to kick off the season.
Ask co-chairs Barbara Robertson and Luretta Spiess how many items the rummage sale has on display, you may get a funny look.
“Millions!” Robertson said.
“Thousands and thousands,” Spiess said.
Volunteer coordinator Jodie Stewart shared her perspective on the volume of items available.
“We have 30 departments and five of those are just women’s clothing,” she said. “We have a gym full of just toys. And what’s out there isn’t all that is donated.”
Robertson said the group collects year round. The drop off is open every day except, perhaps, Christmas. Spiess said there are three to four people who sort all that’s donated -- some things that aren’t saleable are thrown out or given away. The remaining items become part of the rummage sale.
The spring rummage sale is declared “The Big One” while there is another sale in the fall that is much smaller.
By the looks of the first two hours, Spiess said everything was going well.
“We have cool weather which has everyone in a good mood,” she said. “With warm weather, when they can’t get into rooms, people get fussy.”
Shoppers walked from room to room with not only a map in hand, but also grocery bags full of already purchased merchandise from other departments at the sale.
In an area with less foot traffic, Danielle Neff of Chicago had a couple bags at her feet. Neff said she originally attended to babysit for a family that was busy roaming the sale, but she couldn’t help picking up a few things for herself.
“The furniture was picked over pretty good by the time we got here,” she said. “If you come to a rummage sale, you have to be ready to dig.”
Dorothy Adevayo of Park Forest said the better things tend to go fast.
“I’m pretty happy with what I got,” she said. “I was looking for mostly coats and jackets and got a couple of tote bags and a few household items.”
Spiess said the Rummage Sale is a social place, with groups and people coming from all different areas.
“We have people from all sorts of denominations and people who have volunteered in the past and moved away, but [who] still come from Wisconsin and Indiana,” she said. “It’s a chance to get together.”
Christina Wilhusen of Wheeling said she stops by the rummage sale every year and always finds what’s she’s looking for. This year it was kids clothing.
While trying to decide what tennis racket he should buy, David Moffat of Trevor, Wis. said that coming to the rummage sale is a tradition for him as well.
“My mother used to live in Northfield and volunteer [with the church]. She’s been coming every year. We’re here with my sisters,” he said. “We started coming here when we were young. Now, every year I take off of work to come to the sale.”
All the proceeds, as well as unsold items, from the rummage sale will be donated to local charities and nonprofits.
“None of the money goes to the church,” Spiess said. “Last year we collected about $170,000. We don’t set a goal; we do the best we can.”
The the Fall Mini Sale will be held October 18, 2008 and next year’s Spring Rummage Sale is already set for May 14, 2009.
