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ABC Sale

Mary Brenda Joyner

The ABC Sale (A is for Attic, B is for Basement, C is for either Closet or Cupboard, depending on what year it is and what person you ask) is a tradition at the Chapel of the Cross going back to 1963. Last year, the 38th ABC Sale took over almost all the building space and raised nearly $20,000, all used outside the parish to support outreach to the community.

But the ABC Sale is more than just a fund-raiser. This is a chance to meet people you may have seen only going to the communion rail or picking up children in the parking lot. It is also a chance to witness an almost unbelievable transformation of the church building from its normal state to a furniture, clothing, art, and book store, and back, all in one week, and without interrupting the Sunday worship! It is a chance to find out who people are -- one person says the biggest benefit of the ABC Sale is that it's the only time when all the parishioners working there wear name tags. This is a chance to see people line up as early as 4 a.m. to get first crack at purchases. They come to find furniture, books, clothes, sports equipment, electronic goods, and other things that are no longer useful to you, but are valuable to someone else. You get a tax deduction to boot.

Money raised at the ABC Sale is given by the vestry, on recommendation of the Social Ministry Committee's subcommittee for the sale, to organizations working in the community. Habitat, Empowerment, Freedom House, and a whole range of agencies have received ABC Sale proceeds through an application process to this committee. Items that remain after the sale are sometimes made available to such organizations. One of the big end-of-sale efforts is removal of things that no one purchases to the PTA thrift shop to be further distributed to the community. Last year, 17 organizations received ABC Sale support.

This year's ABC Sale takes place on March 31 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. So you don't miss the fun, call Molly Dempsey or Margaret Conrad, chairs of the 39th ABC Sale, to see how you can join this happy crew, or get the crew to remove those unwanted items to be converted into the outreach effort of the parish.

ABC Sale schedule
Treasure Ingathering -- Sunday, March 18
Donation Days: Monday, March 26, through Wednesday, March 28, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Thursday, March 29, 9 a.m. - noon.

Departments and their chairs
Accessories -- Jane Rody and Sue Meyer
Adult Recreation -- George Evans
Bake Shop -- Sylvia Butler
Books -- Martin Rody
Chldren's Toys -- Margaret Waldrup
Children's Clothing -- Pam Miller and Lynn Wegner
Men's Clothing -- Jacquie Scarborough
Women's Clothing -- Jean French and Ann Wilson
French Room -- Jan Reist and Alex Hoole
Garden Shop -- Phil Rees
Household Furnishings -- Marcy Clair
Linens -- Jean Hogen and Lucy Fort
Lunches -- EYC
Treasure Room -- Betsy Elkins-Williams
White Elephants and Holiday Room --
Publicity -- Bob Comey
Treasurer -- Rick Brownfield
Parking -- Boy Scouts
Carol Woods -- Anne Ramsay

Look for posters in the parish house describing the many departments, their leaders, and particular ways you can volunteer to make this ABC Sale the best ever! For up-to-date information on preparations for the sale, see "Crossings," the weekly news bulletin.

© 2001: Copyright by the Chapel of the Cross