Nancy Allen of West Bath, left, and Diane Marchetti of Bath, right, arrange “merchandise” in the accessories department. The Grand and Glorious Yard Sale begins with a preview party on Friday at the former Brunswick Bookland at Cook’s Corner. (Millie Stewart photo)
Pictured: Volunteers are ready to serve patrons at the Friday night “Preview Party.” From left are Priscilla McKeith of Brunswick, Cyndy Bush of Harpswell, Linda Belmont of Wiscasset, Sandy Besecker of Westport Island and Catherine Danforth of Bath. (Millie Stewart photo)
One of the treasures of the antiques department is this loveseat. (Millie Stewart photo)
Tickets will be on sale at the door, starting at 6 p.m., at $20 per person, with entrance after advance ticket holders.
Saturday’s sale hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with free admission. Sunday hours are 9 a.m. to noon.
Parking is free, and volunteers will be available to help load cars and trucks with merchandise.
Since 1995, the Mid Coast Hospital Auxiliary has sponsored 10 giant yard sales at various locations.
Volunteers come back year after year to help make the sale happen. They do so to support high quality health care for their communities, to renew friendships they have made through the years and to take part in a massive recycling effort that helps the environment in which they live.
The yard sale benefits the Mid Coast Hospital Walk-In Clinic in downtown Brunswick, for which the auxiliary has pledged $150,000 and $40,000 for health career scholarships to local students to help educate the next generation of health care workers.
“It is so much fun, as well as work, and the people are great and become such good friends,” one volunteer said.
One “newcomer” of two years said she can only speak for the House and Garden Department, but, “I really enjoy the very nice people I have met, but the same can be said for all departments. Everyone is so upbeat and friendly and it makes for a very nice atmosphere to work in. Our Mid Coast Hospital is very nice and we are so lucky to have it here.”
A first-year worker said she was “invited to participate by people I admire and whose values I respect.”
To sell the merchandise, it must be priced fairly to move quickly. This year, one piece of “furniture” is a simple wooden rig and no one has a clue as to its use. Making its second appearance, the kicker is that the person who purchased it last year, brought it back, maybe still mystified.
A major item in the sale is a Joshegan Oriental rug in shades of red, measuring 10 feet by 15 feet, given to the yard sale because the rug is too big for the owners’ living room. Bureaus, beds, chairs and tables of all kinds, are lined up in the furniture department, as well as entertainment centers, couches of all descriptions and a small wood stove.
For all the young at heart, one of the fun donations is the super-sized panda bear, “Mandy,” so named by her owner, who is willingly giving her up after a long relationship because “Mandy” now needs a family with kids to play with her.
A special treat at the Preview Party are the finger foods donated by area restaurants and specialty shops, including The Kennebec Tavern, Mae’s Café and Bakery, Solo Bistro, Clementine’s, Henry and Marty Restaurant and Catering, Richard’s, Sarah’s Café and Catering, Le Garage, Frontier Café, The Tavern at Brunswick Station, No. 10 Water Street, The Great Impasta, Trattoria Athena, Back Street Bistro, Wild Oats Bakery and Café, Sea Dog Brewing Co., Little Toyko, Azure Café, China Rose, Thymes Two Catering, The Davis Island Grill, Micro- MAINEA greens, The Squire Tarbox Inn, Gagne Foods Inc. and Now You’re Cooking.
Volunteers will contribute homemade appetizers and baked goods as well.
The 12 resale “stores” will be in perfect order when the Preview Party doors open at 6 p.m. Friday. Again this year, there will be children’s, house and garden, furniture, electronics, linens, health equipment, crafts, kitchen, antiques and treasures, miscellaneous/ books, sporting goods and accessories.
On behalf of the MCH Auxiliary, the co-chairs or “triumvirate” as they are affectionately called — Joy Johnson, Margy Burroughs and Ann Haslett — sincerely thank all who made an effort to donate remarkable goods to the sale.
“Without the generosity of the community and the belief in the cause, production of yet another giant yard sale would be impossible,” they said. “Every year we wonder about our success, but there are always people downsizing, children who refuse to polish silver, new ways to entertain without dainty tea cups, people on the move, kids outgrowing their toys and sports equipment, linens going out of style. It does take a community to organize this sale.”
Cook’s Corner Mall is located off Route 1 between Bath and Brunswick, at the Cook’s Corner/Islands exit from either north or south.
For more information, call the MCH Volunteer Office at 373-6015 or e-mail mstewart@midcoasthealth.com.
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