The Episcopal Church of the Redeemer Upscale Resale Event Brings Community Together

By Connie Karpinsky

It’s not just a donation but a story, a story with several chapters. It is the story of the journey of donations, from one home to another, with a few stops in between. The final destination remains to be seen, for sometimes the donation returns as another, to be sold again another year. Our story began in 2018. The goal was to host an event that would bring our community together, with100 percent of all sales going to the two food pantries. In the first chapter, we introduced the concept, an event intended to bring joy to the giver, fun and rewards for the bargain hunter and the opportunity for every woman to shop. We asked local women for donations of that special handbag that had been replaced by another, that piece of jewelry purchased for a special outfit no longer in the closet. We gradually saw one donation turn into an overwhelming collection of handbags and jewelry. The community’s generosity was astounding! The second chapter brought us together. As our fellow parishioners gathered around the table to price each piece, we shared stories, laughter, tears, and love. It was a time to bond and to share in the joy of putting an event together that transformed handbags and jewelry into food on the table.

In the third chapter, we learned that it took more than our little red church to sponsor this event. We needed a convenient location for the sale and someone to donate the space. Without hesitation, for our first two sales, Weinberger’s stepped up to the plate and helped us raise $4000 the first year and $6000 the second. We skipped the third year due to the pandemic, but once back in action in 2021, we had accumulated so many donations that an even larger space was needed. It did not take long before the Lake Oconee Community Church graciously answered our call. Chapter four proved to be another successful conclusion of another year of donations that help us raise $12,000. Throughout this chapter the generosity of men and women in our community continued. Area businesses allowed us to display promotional advertising. We continued to meet new friends, many of whom came forward offering help to collect donations, set up and work the sale. Local newspapers, radio stations, magazines and social media all helped us spread the word. In addition, all promotional materials, supplies, and time were offered free of charge throughout the Lake Oconee area. And finally, we had the relentless support of friends and neighbors sharing emails and texts. Thank you to all who embraced our efforts!

Chapter 5, (2022) was another record-breaking year with total sales of $18,000. On the day of our sale, people were waiting in line even before we arrived. The room quickly filled as women came together from all around our area to enjoy a common purpose...SHOPPING! In addition to our usual handbags and jewelry being offered at incredible prices, we had a silent auction with 5 Louis Vuitton handbags.

Chapter 6, (2023) Another successful year in the books. Total sales this year came to $21,034. We met the challenge to increase our sales, and, if it is even possible, we had more fun than ever. We met several times during the year for pricing parties. Imagine the old time Church Sewing Bees….it is just good old fashion bonding time. There was always plenty to do and plenty of fun conversations. Realizing that we needed some outside support for advertising, we were able to get Bank South to sponsor us with advertising funds. This enabled us to do a better job communicating the event to our community. Early into the year, we were faced with finding a new location and once again, we faced the challenge to find a venue large enough and without rental fees. The Lake Oconee Lutheran Church stepped up and graciously offered us their church. A real blessing in disguise, as we had more room and more tables for displays. With only one Louis Vuitton handbag donated this year, we hosted an online raffle offering tickets at $20 each with a limit of 100 chances. We met that goal. Another neighboring business offered us a $1200 skin care package, so at the last minute we were able to offer that on our online raffle site. Parishioners paid for two young men to help us move all the inventory and to help us set up. On the day before, we had over 20 volunteers setting up all the displays, and lunch donated by Pure Chiropractic. Our lady shoppers started lining up at 7:30 am, and the doors opened at 10. The bulk of all sales that day took place in 1 ½ hours. We packed up at 2, put the church back together and were out of there by 3:30. One month later, we set up again with all inventories we had left, and offered a half-price sale. This is always a big hit! Keep in mind, at half price, 90% of all remaining jewelry sold for $2.50 or less. What did not sell has been donated to Greene County Thrift store and Senior Recreation programs. We finished the event with a volunteer appreciation reception and presentation of checks to the food pantries.

Chapter 7 (2024). Our Upscale Resale event just keeps getting bigger, better, and more rewarding! This past year, we were thrilled to surpass our sales goal once again, raising an incredible $30,000. In addition to our popular handbags and jewelry sale, we introduced a mini boutique featuring upscale women’s clothing and shoes at unbeatable prices, along with exciting raffle and auction opportunities for diamond jewelry. Despite facing challenges from Hurricane Helene, our dedicated volunteers worked tirelessly to transport everything to the Lutheran Church, ensuring the event went off without a hitch. Thankfully, Lake Oconee was spared the hurricane’s worst, and we celebrated another successful event. Thanks to the incredible support of our community, 100% of the proceeds were donated to the Greene County Food Pantry, Putnam County Outreach Food Pantry, and The Bread of Life Food Pantry, helping to make a significant impact on those in need.

We’re currently accepting donations for next year’s sale! Tax donation letters are available upon request. For questions or to arrange a pickup, please contact us at littlechurch2018@gmail.com. Thank you for helping us continue this meaningful work!