St. Colette plans its first consignment sale
For never having planned a community garage sale before, Kathy McKenna seems to know what she's doing.
She is co-chair of St. Colette School's first children's consignment clothing sale, set for later this month. From the looks of it, the event will be an organized one - with a capital O.
The six-page instruction packet for sellers stresses that "for ease and efficiency of shopping, we are setting very strict standards."
Indeed. Besides giving dates and times, the packet suggests prices and tells how to prepare the price tags that are provided. It also explains which type of hangers to use (metal only) and how to hang the clothes so they won't drop onto the floor.
"It's a little extra work for the seller," McKenna explains. "But it's a lot easier looking at things on hangers and by size. You want people to flow through there easily."
The sale was McKenna's thing from the start. With a kindergartner at the school, she wanted to get involved and attended a parent meeting earlier this year. Ideas for fundraisers were tossed around.
"I said, 'I'm sure there are people who have things to sell who don't want the hassle of a garage sale.' They said, 'OK, you're the chairman,' " McKenna says, laughing. "But it's all for a good cause."
The sale will feature gently used children's clothing and baby equipment, as well as toys, books, bikes and Halloween costumes.
Sellers have the option of keeping 60 percent of their earnings or donating it all to St. Colette. McKenna, a Rolling Meadows resident, says anyone in the community can sell clothes, not just school or parish families.
Just pick up a packet at the parish office, then bring your items during one of the receiving days, which are Thursday, Sept. 18, and Friday, Sept. 19.
The instructions - though lengthy - are easy to follow, right down to the mandatory price tags that are perforated to keep the stub for the seller's records.
"It's like a garage sale in that you prepare and price your stuff. But then you just drop your stuff off on the 18th," she says. Sellers do not have to be present at the sale.
After the event, sellers can pick up the leftovers or leave them to be donated to a charity.
Then they just wait for their check - unless they've chosen to contribute all their earnings to the school.
Volunteers who sign up for a three-hour shift will get dibs on the best stuff during a special presale.
McKenna and co-chair Heidi Huck have spent weeks preparing for the event, ("It's ruled my life," she says.) But they plan to do it again in the spring - and perhaps make it a biannual event.
There's a real need for low-priced children's clothes, she says. "Kids grow so fast. It's unpredictable when kids will hit a growth spurt."
McKenna and her husband, Brian, have lived in Rolling Meadows for eight years. In addition to volunteering at the school, she helps with the Meals on Wheels, carrying on a family tradition started by her mother.
Amid the hassles of planning the sale, she couldn't be more excited. "It's a nice kickoff for this year's theme for schools: Catholic Schools celebrate service."
If you go
What: Children's used clothing and equipment sale
When: 6:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20
Where: St. Colette Parish Center, behind the church at 3900 Pheasant Drive, Rolling Meadows
Call: (847) 394-8100
• Colleen Thomas' column appears Fridays. She welcomes your news about community events and people. Call (847) 427-4591, or e-mail her at cthomas@dailyherald.com.