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Rummage sale benefits many

NORTHROP — You never know what you’re going to find at Martin Luther High School’s fall rummage and bake sale. The annual sale, which serves as a fundraiser for the school, kicks off Thursday.

“We do one in the spring and one in the fall,” said Lisa Trueblood, an organizer of the sale.

She said the sales have been going on for more than 30 years and were originally started by Linda Becker, who led them for many years.

“She started them back when the school was young. It was just her and a couple of tables and a garage,” Trueblood said.

Trueblood said the sales have been a very good thing, not just for the school, but for the greater area.

“It helps the community because it’s a place for people to take their unwanted things and we have the items marked very reasonably so it’s an opportunity for people in the community to get what they need. It’s also a place for people to volunteer and make new friendships,” Trueblood said.

She said it’s a great place for kids to learn that things don’t need to just be thrown away, but can be repurposed.

“One man’s junk is another man’s treasure,” she said.

Trueblood said they started accepting items over the weekend and the cutoff is noon Wednesday. Items accepted include clothing, shoes, toys, luggage, household items, furniture, material bedding, decorations and kitchen items.

“We don’t accept electronics and the things you have to pay to get rid of, so no mattresses, old TVs or computers,” Trueblood said.

In the fall, they always hold the sale over MEA break, as students are out of school. A lot of work goes into the week of the sale. Trueblood called the process “intense.”

“We start accepting things on a Saturday and setting up and then the sale takes place and then by the next Saturday, the space is back to a gym,” she said.

Fortunately, a strong group of volunteers has helped through the years, Trueblood said some alumni from the high school come back and help too.

“It’s nice to see familiar faces,” she said.

As for turnout, Trueblood said they have done a headcount in recent years and a ballpark figure is that about 250 people walk through the door at 4 p.m. on Thursday, when the sale always starts.

While such strong attendance is good, in the age of Covid, it’s proved a bit worrisome.

“Last year we had to limit. We could only have so many people in the gym at one time. We had to count as people came in and out,” Trueblood said.

While they’re not limiting the number this year, Trueblood said they are encouraging that people wear a mask, especially if they come on Thursday as attendance is typically higher.

The sale takes place from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

On Saturday, it’s anything you can put into a bag for $3.

“When my kids were little, I’d give them each a bag and they could put whatever they wanted in it. My girls would grab dress up clothes and matching shoes and gloves and we’d go home and have show and tell,” Trueblood shared.

While the sale is a lot of work, it continues to take place because of the continued positive response from the community, and the funds that are raised for the school. Trueblood said they raise about $10,000 twice a year. She said the money is used for uniforms, guest speakers and special activities for classrooms.

“It’s so worth it to see the money that’s raised to benefit the school and the students. It benefits so many people in different ways,” Trueblood said.

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