Rummage sale raises $2,000 to aid Haitian earthquake survivors
Saturday’s rummage sale put on by The Resource Center and the Boy Scouts was successful beyond organizers’ imagination, raising $2,000 to aid children with disabilities in Haiti who were affected by the January 12 earthquake.
“We were hoping to make $1,000, and it looks like we made over $2,000,” said Linda Gorton, one of the lead organizers of the sale, giving a jubilant thumbs-up as volunteers put away the unsold items at the end of the day.
The event was held in TRC’s Conference Center, located at 200 Dunham Avenue in Celoron. In addition to the rummage sale, there was a bake sale. Both events relied on the generosity of TRC staff and the community at large, and both groups responded in great style.
Taking a break from sorting items donated for the rummage sale are, from left, Laurie Taylor, manager of one of TRC’s homes on Foote Avenue in Jamestown; Cougars Venture crew members Neil Swanson and Jason Drake; and Justin Brown, a TRC direct support professional.
Saturday’s rummage sale put on by The Resource Center and the Boy Scouts was successful beyond organizers’ imagination, raising $2,000 to aid children with disabilities in Haiti who were affected by the January 12 earthquake.
“We were hoping to make $1,000, and it looks like we made over $2,000,” said Linda Gorton, one of the lead organizers of the sale, giving a jubilant thumbs-up as volunteers put away the unsold items at the end of the day.
The event was held in TRC’s Conference Center, located at 200 Dunham Avenue in Celoron. In addition to the rummage sale, there was a bake sale. Both events relied on the generosity of TRC staff and the community at large, and both groups responded in great style.
People wishing to donate items for the rummage sale could bring them to TRC’s Administrative Offices or to the agency’s Intermediate Care Facility on Foote Avenue in Jamestown. Organizers hadn’t anticipated the generous response from staff and community, and when staff and volunteers arrived Friday morning to begin sorting and pricing the items, they were amazed at how many things had been donated.
“I couldn’t believe it. The volume of stuff that was here was overwhelming,” said Carol Yaggie, TRC Dietitian.
As with many yard sales and garage sales, a number of would-be buyers arrived before the official start time for the sale, hoping to get first dibs on the items. After that early rush, there was a steady stream of people until the event ended at about 5:00.
“It exceeded our expectations,” said Nancy Ingram, TRC’s Assistant Exececutive Directior for Service Operations, “and the whole agency was exceptionally generous, as was the community in large, with the amount of things they donated and the amount of items they bought at the sale.”
The idea for the sale came about from the need for some people to earn their Scouting badges. The Allegheny Highlands Council of the Boy Scouts has been affiliated with The Resource Center for a dozen years, giving men and women with cognitive disabilities in Chautauqua County the opportunity to participate in Scouting. Currently, 14 people who live in TRC homes are part of the Scouts’ Venture Crew 160, known as the Cougars.
Linda, a direct support professional at one of TRC’s Foote Avenue homes who also is the Cougars’ advisor, wanted to come up with a way to aid Haitian earthquake survivors while at the same time enabling members of the Cougars to work on obtaining their “Good Turn” and “Community Service” badges. She and other TRC staff who assist the Cougars hit on the idea of a rummage sale. After deciding to hold the rummage sale, organizers needed to fins a place to host the event, and TRC’s Conference Center was a natural fit.
“It’s a win-win situation,” Linda said. “We needed someplace to have it, and TRC helped us out.”
The Cougars and staff from TRC’s Intermediate Care Facilities really got behind the effort. In addition to collecting items before the rummage sale, members of the Cougars came to the event Saturday to help sell items. Volunteers wore “Help for Haiti” T-shirts that were made by TRC staff.
Carol, Committee Chair for the Cougars, said the rummage sale was the most successful fund-raiser the group has conducted.
The money raised through the rummage sale will go to aid children with disabilities at an orphanage in Haiti. Local residents will benefit too, as the unsold items will be donated to Community Helping Hands.
Despite the success of the rummage sale, the Cougars will not be resting on their laurels, as the group already has begun its next fund-raising venture – selling candles to raise funds for the Scouts to go to camp this summer, said Wayne Schuver, Local District Executive for the Boy Scouts’ Allegheny Highlands Council.
Wayne, who works closely with the Cougars, was pleased with the rummage sale.
“Everybody her just did wonderful,” said Wayne as he bought some items for himself at the end of the day. He added that despite the fact the Cougars have severe cognitive impairments, they get a lot out of the Scouting experience.
“Everyone can learn and grow, no matter how small it is,” said Wayne, acknowledging that though they take small steps, the Cougars have a great time being involved in Scouting.
For now, everyone is basking in the success of the rummage sale.
“It was a good group, team effort,” said Allicia Rice, Service Coordinator.
“I just want to thank everyone who helped,” said Linda. “People put in a lot of long hours.”