Church sales prove to be worth a lot of money

Never underestimate the power or allure of church rummage sales.

At first glance, they may just seem like garage sales held in buildings with steeples. But they are a whole lot more say the people who put them together.

First of all they are work.

"They are a lot of work," said Carol Smith, an organizer of a recent sale for the First Congregational Church in West Dundee.

"I spent 35 to 40 hours cleaning and preparing the items. It was the first time I have been this involved. And on my first day I was a little overwhelmed."

Secondly, they could be lucrative.

When it was over last Friday, the church's Afternoon Circle, the ladies group that sponsored and organized the sale, made more in two days for items a week's collection could not afford.

"It was well worth it. We made about $3,000," Smith said.

The money will donated back to the church to buy items for the building's new kitchen. If members have enough, they may buy a dishwasher.

And what wasn't sold will be given to charity.

This year, First Congregational Church members moved into a new building, along Route 31. One of the reasons why it was so well attended was people were curious about the new church that sits atop a hill.

They and everyday bargain hunters wanted to see items church members had donated for the sale.

And they got an eyeful. Along with new and used clothes, they browsed through jewelry, furniture, toys, silverware, pots and pans and dishes.

Then there were items stored for years. When the owners died, their spouses and children donated them for the sale.

"You'd be surprised what you'll find. We call them treasure things," Smith said. "It could be a teacup someone's grandmother has had for years, and it turns out to be worth more than they thought."

But not that much more. Many times that teacup sells for $10.

"We're not talking about valuable items you see on the program 'Antique Roadshow,' " said Sandy Granholm, secretary for the First United Methodist Church in West Dundee.

Her church also had a rummage sale last week. And having raised $3,000, it was just as successful.

"We have one every year. We have people who look forward to it," she said.

Some of those people save their items to donate and others mark their calendars so they can look for bargains. And by the time the sales arrive, the rooms are filled with people, bargains and treasures.

Money collected at the Methodist church's sale will be given to leaders of the church's Elgin district, which they belong to.

The unsold items are given to charity. Unsold clothing will be given to the Immanuel Lutheran Church in East Dundee. Its leaders will donate it to programs for the homeless and pregnant women.