Garage Sale Results

So Saturday was our big fundraiser garage sale.  You'll remember from a previous post that we were doing a giant garage sale at our church during a community yard sale day.

We feel it's important to share not only the need, but to share the journey. 

AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME....I can't stop using that word to describe what happened.

First, we had tons of people donate seriously high quality items to our sale.  Even before the sale started we were just showered with blessings from people who wanted to come along side of us and donate things to see this sale be successful.  It was incredible.  People we didn't even know who just heard about us called us up to give us stuff.  I mean, we knew we'd get some donations, but the vastness of it was beyond our imagination.

Help.....I just can't say enough about the people who helped us make this happen.  Set-up, tear down, sorting.  It was good stuff to connect.  NO WAY could we have done that all on our own.

The sale itself.....so as mentioned we got to the church at 5:15 am to finish putting up tables and putting stuff out.  Friends started arriving around 5:30 and we had a full crew by 6am.  Sale started at 8 but you know you always have those annoying people who want to do "presales"  I was ready to yell at them, but guess what?  We were ready to go by 7:20.  So when the early birds showed up I was more than willing to make a dollar!

All day we were super busy.  We had large items go early.  A kayak sold in under a minute.  A full basketball hoop set.  Stuff I didn't want to have to put away!  There were things that SHOULD NOT have sold....and they went.

The boys were pretty excited when they showed up in the morning as well.  They encouraged a few people to buy things.  We had to explain that their pressure tactics might not be what people were looking for in a garage sale.  They did great playing all day and never complained about being bored.  That might've been the most amazing thing of the day!

Conversations with people were amazing.  I sat at the table collecting the money all day and was able to just interact with people.  I repeatedly complained that my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.  Not faked or forced, but just genuinely smiling at seeing what was happening.

All sales were by donation.  We had a few things with "suggested prices" on them, but we pretty much didn't say no to people.  Now normally you get about and even split of people that lowball you and people who tell you to keep the change.....not on our day.  OVERWHELMINGLY.....people overpaid or told us to keep the extra.  There were a few lowballs, but not many.  I was amazed.

The weather was fabulous.  Sunny, hot and muggy.  The important part....it didn't rain!

We handed out a bunch of our cards with our "missing piece" picture and this blog site.  I'm not sure if we're going to be getting many hits, but hopefully people become connected with our efforts to bring one more home.

So the big question everyone keeps asking is "how much did you make?"  Honestly....honestly....the day wasn't about the bottom line.  There were so many ways God blessed us that day, and to judge the days success solely on its monetary merits would not give Him justice.  God is good.  Everything was so awesome.  God blessed us in big ways.  We still have a LONG way to go in fundraising, but this was a great event to get us headed in the right direction.

We can't say thank you enough.  For all the people that donated items, time, and bought most of the stuff on the tables....THANK YOU.  To my parents who came up to help us out and play with the boys, you know we love you so much and couldn't have done it without you.  To Zach, Andy, Allen, Riane, Diane and Larry, for getting up so early to help set up.  For the blessed people of PCC and Pastor Mike for letting us use the youth room, the tables, and some electricity....but for being our family.....we thank you so much.  For anyone I missed....it was not intentional....know that our hearts have been touched by this event.

PICTURES:

There was no way to take a picture of how packed the converted garage room was full of stuff.  It was PACKED.  Hard to even walk in before we started taking stuff out.

I know it looks like Zach is just playing with stuff....and he might've been....he's really working hard to set up.  We had some great help!

Nuttells and Larry hard at work.

I took this just as the early birds arrived.

And then I tried going back to the same place as we started packing up.  Not much left!!!!