It’s a means of uniting a neighbourhood and at the same time maybe giving a few – who are struggling financially due to COVID – a way to earn a little extra coin.
It’s the Albion Community Garage Sale, and it’s happening tomorrow, Saturday, July 11 throughout the Maple Ridge neighbourhood, explained participant and co-organizer Tara Adamyk.
There are at least 20 home owners, in what she calls Tiny Town (a.k.a. Albion), that will be participating between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., selling everything imaginable.
“We are all very excited as the planning, collaboration, and execution of this event has brought us together as a sub-community after going through such a challenging time,” Adamyk told The News.
Residents in the area hosted a community garage sale two years ago in one of the exhibit buildings at the Albion Fairground. That event had 40 vendors and was a “huge” success, drawing buyers from all over the community, and even some from outside Maple Ridge, Adamyk explained.
Using a community grant, last year the group mixed it up a bit, holding a block party in conjunction with the fire department’s Hot Summer Nights visit. That event attracted upwards of 400 visitors, Adamyk said.
“Obviously we can’t do anything like that this year either. However, we want to keep the sense of community and collaboration going and this garage sale is really helping with that,” she explained.
“We can’t have an indoor garage sale this year with many people in one space,” Adamyk noted.
Many residents were asking on social media about if it was okay to host garage sales amid COVID.
“The consensus is mainly yes, as long as certain safety precautions are taken – which we are adhering to,” she said, noting this year participating residents will be hosting the sales in their own yards.
Admittedly, she said, the sales will look a little different than garage sales in past. Social distancing and masks will be required, and hand sanitizer is being made available at each of the participating homes.
There’s also another rule in play at tomorrow’s neighbourhood garage sale, Adamyk said. Buyers are not permitted to touch items for sale without permission by the seller.
“Many people love visiting garage sales, and it’s an opportunity for neighbours to be outside doing something together with their neighbours… at a distance,” she said.
But there’s been another reason wby she opted to help orchestrate Saturday’s sale.
She noted that several people in the neighbourhood have lost their jobs, been laid off, or are experiencing financial hardship due to the pandemic.
“So making a few dollars on some household items they no longer need is kind of exciting for some,” said Adamyk, who acknowledged she’s not a garage saler, but loves helping people and organizing events.
”Plus we’ve all been home a lot more lately and have realized how much stuff we have and don’t need.”
She suggests there will be a bit of everything up for grabs Saturday.
“Baby and kids items, collector items such as hockey cards, vintage games, and memorabilia, gently used items, homemade items, you name it,” Adamyk said.
The concentration of the sales are east of 240th Street, between 102nd and 110th Avenues. A Google map has been set up pinpointing the locations, with an information booth set up at Adamyk’s home at 24334 102B Ave.
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