Above / Volunteers make a big difference for the annual MEGA Garage Sale hosted by Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. (Photo courtesy OSLC)
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church of Naperville held its 20th MEGA Garage Sale on June 9 and 10, at its Celebration Community Life Center. More than 240 volunteers served approximately 3,000 hours in preparation for, and the actual sale. The revenue for the 2017 sale topped $55,000 – a 37 percent increase over 2016’s sale and the biggest year-to-year increase in its history.
The garage sale annually raises funds that support local missions, while also providing clothing, household items, furniture, books, electronics, toys and other items at a low cost for those in need in Naperville and surrounding communities.
An almost overwhelming number of donations and many more shoppers contributed to the high sales, according to Linda Collins, chair of the MEGA Garage Sale.
“We had a record number of shoppers who purchased an abundance of donations,” said Collins. “We believe many of our donations now come from the community, in addition to church members, so we got a lot more.”
The sale’s reputation for high-quality goods, well-organized departments and friendly volunteers, she added, has created a solid base of repeat shoppers who have spread the word about the sale to their friends and families.
The sales floor was literally at capacity when the sale opened Friday morning, as shoppers quickly scooped up armloads and cart-loads full of toys, housewares, florals, seasonal and decorative items, bags of clothes, electronics, books, artwork, linens, infant items, jewelry – and that was even before they headed outside to where tools, bicycles, outdoor, sports equipment and furniture was being sold.
What do the funds benefit?
The funds raised benefit numerous missions and organizations locally as well as globally, including Suicide Prevention; Ecumenical Adult Care of Naperville; Packs 4 Kids; Our Saviour’s Trailer Reimbursement; Our Saviour’s Good Samaritan Fund; Feed My Starving Children; Bridge Communities Transitional Living; Refugee Fund; General Mission Fund; Parish Nurse Discretionary Fund; and others.
Collins said the MEGA Garage Sale annually attracts thousands of people from Naperville and nearby communities due to its organization, selection and priced-to-sell prices. In fact, the earliest shoppers arrived at 7AM – some of whom have been attending the sale for years – an hour before the sale starts, to be the first in the door and the first to arrive at the “department” they’re shopping.
Story and photos submitted by Juli Schatz for Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (OSLC).
