Sale on May 24 & 25, 2013 • Kesler Hall, Champaign County Fairgrounds, Urbana
Downloads: Volunteer Handbook -
Bookmarks to hand out - Fliers to post
We had yet another record-breaking 2012 sale, grossing more than $58,000 ffor the homeless animals at CCHS. And doing so with the best group of volunteers around. Can we top that in 2013 – our 29th sale? We can with your help. And that of your friends and neighbors. Please encourage anyone you know to join us – as volunteers (and as shoppers!) Each year we unfortunately have to say goodbye to long-time volunteers; we need to replenish our ranks and our current volunteers make the best recruiters. New volunteers are encouraged to attend a short orientation on May 14 at Kesler Hall.
This year we're using VolunteerSpot (the leading online signup and reminder tool) for Garage Sale Volunteer signup. Here's how it works in three easy steps:
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Click this link to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot: http://vols.pt/NJbsje
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Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot)
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Sign up! Choose your spots - VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!
Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact me and I can sign you up manually.
Volunteers who work a minimum of 10 hours and commit to working at least four hours on sale days or at cleanup may purchase items before the sale after they’ve completed their 10 hours of work. Below are the details of the work schedule.
Please read the Volunteer Handbook, which explains the guidelines for making this enormous undertaking a fun and profitable venture. On behalf of the CCHS Board of Directors, I thank you for your support! If you have questions, please contact me at 344-7840 or mlpayne@illinois.edu. I look forward to seeing you soon.
Mare Payne, Garage Sale Chair
Sunday, May 12: Moving Day – 3-4 hours
We move equipment from the Shelter to the Fairgrounds. We need strong people and vehicles such as trucks and vans to transport sawhorses, clothing racks and supplies. Meet at the shelter at high noon and expect to be finished by 4 p.m. Bring work gloves.
Monday, May 13: Setting up tables – 2 hours
The plywood for tables will arrive on Monday. We need a few strong people to help put the tables together. Meet at Kesler Hall on the Fairgrounds at 2 p.m. Bring work gloves.
Tuesday, May 14: Orientation for new volunteers – 1 hour
Brand-new volunteers – or volunteers who worked their first year last year – are especially encouraged to attend a short overview of the opportunities the sale offers for your time and efforts. Any volunteers welcome. How can your interests match our needs?
Thursday, May 16, through Sunday, May 19 – Donations accepted at Kesler Hall
Help unload cars; sort and price items. On the weekend, all hands will be asked to help unload cars (those with able backs) and greet donors (those with less-able backs) during the weekend to better manage the overflowing driveway and control the drops.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, May 20, 21, 22 and 23 – Final Sale Preparation
Organize, organize, organize; check pricing: set up check out, and learn to run the registers. We sell more when we’re organized.
Friday and Saturday, May 24 and 25 – Sale Days!
Help keep the place organized; move merchandise from floor to tables; run registers; help the public. Early birds begin unloading the storage trailers at 5:30 a.m. A pizza and salad lunch will be provided for volunteers around 11 a.m. each day. We will take turns. Sale is Friday from 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m.-6 p.m., with bag sale at 3 p.m. Giveaway on Sunday is 10 a.m.-noon.
Saturday cleanup. We’ll start consolidating merchandise and tearing down tables as the bag sale begins to thin (bag sale starts at 3 p.m.), but the two long sale days mean we’ll leave as soon as we can after 6, leaving most of the cleanup for Sunday.
Sunday, May 26 – Building clean up and recycling and Giveaway!
Charities are given first crack at the leftovers at 8 a.m.; the public is allowed in from 10 a.m. to noon. $1 admission will be charged to enter. The consolidating of merchandise and dismantling of tables is occurring simultaneously to the giveaway. Anything left after the giveaway is sorted into recyclables. Cardboard will need to be flattened. Equipment will be returned to the shelter, so we need trucks again and more bodies.
Monday, May 27 – Building clean up and recycling
Cleanup & recycling continues. Trucks may be needed again to relocate supplies to CCHS.
Tuesday, May 28 – Building clean up and recycling; load plywood back on trucks
At about 10 a.m. we need strong people to load the plywood into the truck. And wrap up cleaning of Kesler Hall, returning the remaining supplies to the shelter, cash registers to Blum’s, carts to Schnuck’s.
Article: “CCHS Giant Memorial Day Garage Sale: 26 years and counting”, by Barbara Meyer which appeared in the Fall 2010 Pawprints.