Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

July 24, 2008 issue


Hunger and Health Coalition Rummage Sale and Auction August 2

Organization Seeks Donations of Surplus Produce and Professional Clothing

Story by Celeste von Mangan

On Saturday, August 2, the Hunger and Health Coalition will hold its inaugural rummage sale and auction on the grounds of the facility off Bamboo Road in Boone. The rummage sale begins at 8:00 a.m. and the auction starts at 9:30 a.m. Thousands of items will be for sale or available on the auction block, including a car, tools, antiques and furniture.

The organization has also put out a call for surplus garden and grocery produce in response to the ever-increasing demand for food donations and seeks donations of clothing for the Professional Clothes Closet, a service available to those who need clothing for work or a job interview.

Rummage Sale and Auction

“The rummage sale is our biggest event for August,” said Kim Winebarger, client services coordinator.

Items consist of only quality merchandise. This rummage sale is not a junk sale. Board members have been collecting and assembling the sale items for more than one year, and hundreds of donors from across the region have contributed items. The result is an impressive collection.

Highlights of the rummage sale and the auction combined include a 1982 Mercedes in very good condition, a 16-foot fishing boat and boat trailer, two drill presses, a Jacuzzi tub with a motor, washing machines, Broyhill furniture, antique baby items, two USA-made band saws, many tools and hundreds of other items.
Customized guns will also be available: three black powder pistols, an 1882 Sharps 12-gauge shotgun, two customized Mauser rifles and the first pump gun ever designed.

Jimy Jones, Cullie Tarleton and Dan Williams have volunteered their time as auctioneers.

Surplus Garden and Grocery Produce

The Hunger and Health Coalition collects thousands of pounds of fresh fruit and vegetables every month for distribution to low-income residents in the High Country. According to Executive Director Compton Fortuna, food donations typically decrease during the summer months and higher food costs have had an impact as well. The organization is requesting help from the community.

“When food is more expensive, it causes people to think twice before purchasing extra food to be given as a donation,” Fortuna said. “Contributing excess food from your garden is a cost-effective way to help those in need. We also need dairy products and eggs. If anyone has chickens and has extra eggs, we could use them here.”

People can bring zucchini and other vegetables that they often have too much of to the Hunger and Health Coalition. The organization is also appealing to grocery stores for produce donations.

“We have clients coming in every day looking for produce because it is so expensive they cannot provide their children with fresh vegetables and fruit,” said Winebarger. “We are asking grocery stores and anyone who has access to produce to donate it so that it is not wasted. We really rely on grocery stores year-round when gardening season is over. Liability is not an issue because they are covered by the Good Samaritan Food Donation Act. People can obtain a copy of the act under the World Harvest website or they can get a copy of it at the Hunger and Health Coalition.”

Professional Clothes Closet

Blouses, ties, skirts, suits, handbags, shoes and other accessories are available at the Hunger and Health Coalition’s Professional Clothes Closet service.
Judith Domer and Jean Brooks initiated the service, fashioned after the nationally recognized Dress for Success program. Both Domer and Brooks retired last year and wanted to put their nice business clothing to good use. Donations of lightly used attire and accessories that women and men can wear in the work world are accepted year-round at the coalition. The closet is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Hunger and Health Coalition has been providing food assistance to low-income households for 26 years. The organization has continued to grow and offers multiple food assistance programs, as well as pharmacy assistance services.
The Hunger and Health Coalition is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is located at 141 Health Center Drive off of Bamboo Road in Boone. For more information, call 828-262-1628.

 

Want To Go?


Date: Saturday, August 2
Time: 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. rummage sale/9:30 a.m. auction
Location: Hunger and Health Coalition
Cost: Free Admission