In early 2008 Canada South Land Trust volunteer Shirley Grondin offered to host a yard sale at her home in South Windsor in support of the Canada South Land Trust. Shirley's offer was gladly accepted by Canada South Land Trust directors. Canada South Land Trust volunteer Linda Kennette offered her assistance. After some consultation, organizers Shirley Grondin and Linda Kennette, decided upon the date of Saturday, June 7, 2008.
Advertising for the sale began early with electronic messages forwarded to Canada South Land Trust members. The Land Trust's Spring Newsletter in early May 2008 contained an announcement of the sale along with a request for volunteers and donations. As well, a notice appeared in The Egret of March 2008, the newsletter of the Essex County Field Naturalists' Club.
The month of June in the City of Windsor and the County of Essex is busy with a number of events. As the date of the sale grew closer, organizers realized that June 7, 2008 was the first day of the City of Windsor's Art in the Park and the Town of La Salle's Strawberry Festival. Canada South Land Trust volunteer Peggy Hurst announced she would be at the Cottam Community Yard Sale. Organizers realized that there would be competing yard sales all across the County and in the City of Windsor.
Well before the sale date, organizer Shirley Grondin called The Windsor Star to inquire about inserting an ad in the newspaper. The staff person with whom Shirley spoke advised Shirley to take advantage of the special Friday and Saturday section entitled City-County Wide Yard Sale on the first page of the Classified Section. An ad would appear under a listing of other sales in South Windsor. A draw could be a neigbourhood sale. A three line ad would cost $19.99 plus GST.
Based on what Shirley had learned from the staff person at The Windsor Star, Shirley prepared a flyer and distributed it to neighbours, letting them know about the Canada South Land Trust sale and offering to advertise as neighborhood sale. Four neighbors responded to Shirley's offer. The following three line ad appeared on June 6 and 7, 2008 in the CountyWide Yard Sale under South Windsor: Block sale 3200 & 3300 Church Sat only 8:30 - 2:00pm. Large sale!
The word was out. Donations were arriving in droves at Shirley's home to be stored in the garage. By Friday afternoon, June 6, 2008 the garage was overflowing with boxes of goods and furniture. Numerous folding tables for the display of goods had been borrowed. Organizers Shirley Grondin, Linda Kennette and Betty Learmouth spent Friday afternoon labeling items for the display tables with prices that would ensure that the items would sell. Karen Cedar helped as Karen arrived with more donations in the late afternoon.
Saturday morning, volunteers were on hand at 7:00 a.m. to set up tables and to move goods to the tables. Theme displays were arranged such as electronics, Christmas decorations, linens, and glassware.
As predicted, the first visitors arrived shortly after 7:00 a.m. to survey the setup.
The sale was busy from 8:30 a.m. through 10:30 a.m. In fact a traffic jam occurred due to the numbers of vehicles parked along the street. A good selection of goods were on display including furniture such as a metal storage cabinet, a glass fronted display cabinet, a double bed with wooden head and foot boards, a trunk for toys, folding chairs, recordings of both 45s and 78s, lots of glasswear, purses and tote bags, books for all ages, new pots and pans, cutlery, honey from Goldenrod Farm, candles, radios, a wet suit, children's toys, crockpots, a Coleman lantern and more. We did not accept clothing.
The Canada South Land Trust table top display board was set up in the garage. A number of persons took time to look at the display which was located next to the free table which included a number of items such as containers.
Shirley Grondin had her second garage door open providing a view of her spectacular backyard garden. Several dozen visitors took time to admire her garden, especially the lupines, the peonies and the pond and waterfall.
We learned that sale attendees were looking for items we did not have such as old china cups and saucers, old jewellery, garage decorations such as a thermometer with a gasoline company's name on the item, and tools of all kinds.
Following the sale, items were packed and delivered to Valu Village. Shirley Grondin reported some glassware sales on Sunday from packed boxes ready to go.
"Thank you" to the following yard sale donors: David Ainslie, Karen Cedar, Marie Deneau, JoAnn Grondin, Lorraine Grondin, Shirley Grondin, Peggy Hurst, Linda Kennette, Betty Learmouth, Jeanette O'Brien, Bonnie Ross, and Janet Tuite.
"Thank you" to the volunteers who prepared the price labeling: Karen Cedar, Shirley Grondin, Linda Kennette, and Betty Learmouth. "Thank you" to our "sellers" on the day of the sale: Shirley Grondin, Linda Kennette, Betty Learmouth and Janet Tuite. "Thank you" to organizers Shirley Grondin and Linda Kennette who made the arrangements that resulted in a successful fund raiser. Thank you to "packers" JoAnn Grondin, Shirley Grondin and Linda Kennette who gathered all the items together following the sale. "Thank you" to Shirley Grondin who was a fine hostess serving coffee, "Yucky cookies" from Nanna's Bakery and lunch to the "sellers."