By Joe Winter
Catholic Herald correspondent
Hudson -- The annual rummage sale to benefit St. Patrick Parish and school has outgrown the initial space of gymnasium and adjoining stage, and now takes up a considerable amount of the rest of building and grounds.
The profit from the sale is usually $15,000 to $20,000 -- even after the cost of dumpsters is subtracted. Since items that aren't in good order are culled out from the sale options, a lot of disposal in needed.
"The condition of some of these things is amazing. It's unusual what people will get rid of. Some of it is new or almost new," said Mary Kay Wusterbarth, one of the organizers.
This year the sale is June 17-18 -- different dates than in previous years -- and runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day. Some people arrive before the doors open and stay the entire day, and for many who come from long distances, this is a flea market atmosphere, with many antiques to be found.
Wusterbarth said many people come in, see the perfect item and end up buying for their friends or relatives. Many first-time visitors are completely blown away by the scope of the sale, she said.
A few years back, the sale filled the gymnasium and stage on one side. However, it has now grown to fill up the cafeteria in the new parish education center, hallways adjacent to the gym, some classrooms, the remodeled music room, the front lawn full of bicycles, and the playground.
The new arrangement constitutes at least 50 percent more space than the formerly used area of only gym and stage, Wusterbarth said.
Left for the gym "is anything that could go on your body," she said. That includes regular clothes, purses, skis, skates, roller blades and backpacks.
When asked to name the most unusual thing she's seen for sale, Wusterbarth picked last year's replica of an Abe Lincoln chair. Also, one year was an actual ceramic "white elephant" for sale. There is also obscure furniture such as credenzas, and things a bit more typical such as uniquely styled desks.
The frequently large amount that is not sold goes to several charities, both local and international. A regional epilepsy foundation and others come in the day after the sale and work hard and quickly to claim and move out items.
Monday used to be the tear-down day, after a weekend of sale, but lately the sale has been running only Thursday and Friday, with cleanup on Saturday to allow it more time.
The typically 50-or-so bicycles displayed out on the grass in front of the school are lined up in order form tallest to shortest. Other pieces of exercise equipment flank them.
Some of the bikes typically are brand names, but the prices suggested are based on size of the bike. Many volunteers come ahead of time and do any necessary pumping of tires and tightening of sprockets to make them even more saleable.
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2004