WEIRTON - Another consignment sales is wrapping up today at Mercy Baptist Church's R.J. Bush Center located on Pennsylvania Avenue.
The sale, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, is part of the Tri-State Christian Academy's biannual fundraiser, the proceeds of which benefit the school's scholarship program.
"We have so many things," said Melinda Harms, organizer and a teacher at the academy. "We have all kinds of things - all sorts of baby gear."
Article Photos
Jenna Brancharoli of Wellsburg browses during the Tri-State Christian Academy's annual fall consignment sale, which will wrap up between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Mercy Baptist Church's R.J. Bush Center located on Pennsylvania Avenue. -- Summer Wallace-Minger
Harms said volunteers began setting up the Friday before the event, and it took volunteers many long hours over three days to set up the sale, which included tens of thousands of items from approximately 80 consignors.
Those attending should bring a laundry basket for their purchases, said organizers.
This is the eighth year for the sale. The past two years, the event has netted approximately $15,000.
Volunteers also will offer a full kitchen, including breakfast, snacks and a bake sale, during the event.
The school holds a consignment sale the last weekend in April and August each year. In August, the sale includes winter clothing and holiday items for those holidays falling in October through April. In April, the sale includes summer clothing and holiday items for those holidays falling May through September.
Harms noted all items must be "like new," without stains and tears and freshly laundered or cleaned to be accepted. Many items still have the original sales tags, said organizers.
"I can tell you that we had 30 people at the door waiting for us to open this morning - we have seen a lot of old friends, but some new faces, too," said Harms.
Clothing items go from size 0 to size 14/16 for both boys and girls, and many name brands, such as Baby Gap, Carter's, Children's Place and Gymboree, are available for an average of $1 to $8, according to organizers. In addition, the sale also includes books, movies, toys, games and children's furniture.
"We have one woman who says that she comes here and purchases everything her children need for the year," said Harms. "She said she can always find exactly what she needs and there's so much selections. She buys everything she needs for three children."
A consignor pays a $10 fee and must contribute at least 20 items to the sale. Consignors also are allowed to shop first, before the sale opens to the public, said Harms.
"It's always busy," she said. "It's a blessing for a lot of people. Some strollers I've seen twice now - a consignor sells it, the child grows out of it, and it comes back to be sold to someone else."
The items are priced by the consignor and coded and labeled by volunteers. Once sold, the consignor receives 60 percent of the sale price, with the school receiving 40 percent.
The sale is staffed by teacher and parent volunteers from the school.
For information or to be put on the consignment list for April, call the school office at (724) 947-8722 or visit their website at www.tcakidscs.com.
(Wallace-Minger can be contacted at swallace@pafocus.com)
