Bridgeport United Methodist Church’s annual “Whale of a Sale” opens to the public Friday, Aug. 8. Shoppers can expect to find an ocean of items – from attire, accessories and housewares to holiday décor, books and furniture. This year, there is also an especially generous supply of items which may appeal to the man of the house.

 

“We have more things for guys   - which sometimes we don’t,” said Sally Altman, co-organizer.  “We have tools, garden tools and ladders – things like that.”

 

As always, the sale will feature a plethora of items for children.

 

“We have a lovely assortment of toys and games – especially those for kids under 5 years old,” Altman said. “All in all, we have a nice assortment of donated items.”

 

A team of volunteers has been organizing those donated items for the past two months. Friday morning, the doors of BUMC will open to shoppers, who are welcome to browse the gymnasium floor and spectator levels to find their items of choice.

 

The sale will be open 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Monday. Tuesday’s hours are 9 a.m. to noon.

 

“That’s bag day – our final day,” Altman said.

 

It is hoped that the four-day sale will yield proceeds in the neighborhood of $20,000. That’s typically what is raised through the effort, Altman said.

 

“We hope to continue that tradition, but we’ll see,” she said.

 

Annually, those dollars are divided among a number of local community charities, including local food banks and pantries, Bridgeport Challenger League, CASA, the Clarksburg Mission, Good Will, Salvation Army and others.

 

“We also donate a lot of appliances and household goods prior to the sale,” Altman said. “We give items to Good Will and Salvation Army.”

 

Selected items, such as board games and puzzles, are also donated to the church’s Joyful Noise after-school program and when needed, money is set aside to provide scholarships to participants of BUMC’s preschool program.

 

The hours, days, weeks and months of effort are well worth the outcome, she said.

 

“We’re passionate about what dollars from the sale do. They help families and children in need, including several single parent families who are struggling,” Altman said. “We often read about kids who aren’t getting enough to eat. Whatever we can do to help those families in our community in need are why we’re passionate about what we do.”

 

The sale is chaired annually by Altman, Susie Whiteman and Marlen Waters. Other avid volunteers are Vicki Baker, Connie Bramer, Arnold Bramer, Lu Rhoades, Becky Stone, Betsy Crickard, Jo Ann Guinn, Judy Gehr, Bonnie Mattingly, Midge Woods, Stevie Haller, Lourie Gerst, Regina Miller, Karen Lang and Penni Day Rexrode.