Lansing people look forward to events.  The Lion's Club 4th of July picnic, the Community Council's fireworks.  The weekly chicken massacre... er... barbecue.  Twice a year it's Rummage Sale time.  Lansing United Methodist Church (LUMC) has been running the sale for decades, and it has become the church's biggest fundraiser, grossing around $8,000 to $10,000, give or take, each time.

"It reaches a lot of people, and it provides a very nice service for a lot of people -- including the people who participate in it" says Ed LaVigne co-chaired the sale last month.  "It is a redistribution of wonderfulness, of generosity, of kindness.  I think we sometimes forget that in our dog eat dog world.  We really need to reach out and be more kind to each other."

LaVigne has chaired or co-chaired the all volunteer-run sale close to 30 times.  While it certainly raises cash for the church, LaVigne sees it as a lot more.  While many church members staff the sale, many volunteers come from outside the church.  Between the individual customers and organizations that benefit from the sale and the scores of volunteers that staff it, LaVigne sees the rummage sale as a way of embracing all aspects of the community, including those who may feel under-valued or disenfranchised. 

"Let's face it, if you're a senior citizen there is a propensity for people to see you as not being worthy.  Our society sometimes gives that impression.  My vision is different: you have worth and if you are willing to share it, we'll embrace it."


The basic format is the same: a week before the sale the church begins accepting donations.  Volunteers sort items, and decide what prices to put on the tags.  The community is very generous.  When asked, LaVigne couldn't begin to guess how many items were put out for sale.  Long ago the volume of things became too much for the church building, so large tents are erected in the parking lot to handle the overflow.

By the Thursday before the sale things get a little crazy, though LaVigne says his co-chair Shelly Uhl-Stark, filling the role for her first time,  found a solution for that.

"One of the biggest things that Shelly provided was a night crew," LaVigne says.  It used to be that we had the Thursday night scramble, where we went as fast as we could, hoping to be ready by Friday.  We did triage as to which items we're going to price and which items (we don't have time to price).  Under her leadership we found we were almost ready to do the sale Thursday instead of Friday.  It's huge, the difference was night and day.  She brought in a whole, fresh crew at night and they flew through it."

Friday is a general sale, then Saturday is dollar bag day -- whatever you can fit in a bag costs a dollar.  Each day brings a different audience.  LaVigne says that people of lesser means are able to get a lot of quality clothes and other items on dollar bag day that they would not otherwise be able to afford.  That is particularly vital at the Fall rummage sale, for people who might not be able to afford a winter coat for their children.

And nothing goes to waste.

"People come in from different ministries and get to help themselves for no charge," LaVigne says.  "People come in on Thursday night if you're destitute or had a fire, and there's no charge.  People come in Saturday from other ministries.  One person sends things to Croatia.  Another person sends them to the women's shelter.  We have people coming from the schools to take things.  The rest of it goes to the Salvation Army."

Making the rummage sale happen is as much a community event as it is a fundraiser.  About 100 volunteers of all ages worked on the latest one, some for a few hours, and some every day.  Many people look forward to working at the same post twice a year, in the book tent or the electronics room, or helping price and sell the enormous volume of clothing.  Another cadre of volunteers staff the kitchen, which produces a stream of coffee and meals for the volunteers throughout the week.  On the days of the sale there are other tasks like directing traffic.

More volunteers come for the tear-down.  After all, there is a church service the next morning, so the space has to be restored quickly.

LaVigne says he is stepping down as rummage sale chair so he won't be stretched too thin in his roles as Town Supervisor and Community Council President, not to mention his day job as a pharmacist.

"You have great workers there and great leadership there that will continue," says LaVigne.

The results are satisfying.  The May sale grossed $10,200, and people had a great time.  A great deal of wonderfulness, generosity, and kindness was shared.

v12i21