With 45 tables dedicated to the sale of gently used items, this year’s Lake Cowichan Animal Rescue Society Giant Garage Sale on August 4, at Saywell Park, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. is sure to be a hit.
Coordinator and volunteer, Marg Livingstone, says she is very picky about the items she accepts for the garage sale.
“If it’s not clean enough, take it home and wash it,” she said. “We look for quality stuff and that is what has led to success with the sale in the past.”
That being said, Livingstone states that most of the items in the sale will be $5 and under.
“We have a sticker system of different colours,” said Livingstone. “Last year we ran out of 50 cent items quickly and there are more 25 cent items than you can shake a stick at.”
“We do have some specialty items,” she adds. “But they are few and far between.”
These items sit around the $35 mark.
Besides the garage sale, the society will also have a silent auction throughout the day.
“We have 23 items for the auction and they all range in value,” said Livingstone. “Some of them you can take away for a $3 bid. We don’t want people to say they couldn’t bid because it was too expensive.”
One of the feature items in the auction is a sculpture donated by Cameron Black valued at $125.
The society will also have two raffle items, one of them being a signed pet portrait by local artist Trudy Kungold Ammann.
“She has in years past provided a coupon for a pet portrait,” said Livingstone. “She meets your pet and gets a feel for their personality and then works from pictures.”
This year, the single print being offered is worth $125. Raffle tickets for this item are $2.
The second raffle item is a gift basket donated by Country Grocer.
“We also have contests,” said Livingstone. “There is no cost to enter.”
There are four mystery items, some of them donated, for these contests. How it works is you guess what the item is and put your name into the draw to win the prize.
For the kids Livingstone has set up a jelly bean count and a candy Lego block count. Both are free to enter. The candies will be placed in a water bottle that will also go to the winner of the closest guess.
Jelly beans and candy Lego blocks have been donated by Sugar Connections, the new candy store in Lake Cowichan.
“They even counted them all for us,” said Livingstone.
The concession this year will be a little different as Livingstone says she wants to offer something other than meat products.
“We’re offering yogurt cups and fruit cups, which will be nice especially if it’s a hot day.”
There will also be freshly popped, inexpensive popcorn. The popcorn machine was also donated by Sugar Connections.
A new feature this year will be the opportunity to purchase a coffee mug with your pet’s picture on the side. This service is provided by Leon’s Designs. Mugs will be sold for $12.
In previous years the garage sale has generated several thousands of dollars for the Animal Rescue Society, says Livingstone.
“Hopefully it will be the same this year.”
She encourages shoppers to be environmentally responsible and bring their own bags and asks that there be no early birds. Items are no longer being accepted