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Appendixes

Appendix D: Tips on Hosting a Rummage Sale

to Raise Funds for Your Women’s Group

From AUW, First Universalist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Three months before the sale

1. Discuss the following items with the board of the women’s group:
   • “Church members only” sale on Thursday evening, (date), with $2 per person cover charge.
   • Include electronic equipment, software, CD’s, etc. in advertising.
   • Youth get 5% of net profits if they help with pre-sale publicity (distribute flyers etc.).
   • Youth get 10% of net profits if they help during the sale—with electronic equipment, surveillance, plug-in, and operate, help customers move purchases to their cars.
   • Bag time will be from one to three on Saturday, (date). Customers pay $2 per bag. Arrange to have Dunwoody Institute come and pick up electronic equipment.
   
    
2. Contact Dunwoody or another organization to see if they’ll pick up unsold electronic equipment on Saturday afternoon.
    
3. Contact teens in the church to explore the possibility of their involvement, especially on publicity and electronic help.
    
4. Publicize the nature of the sale: run ads in the church newsletter.
    
5. Accept only children’s clothing (for ages ten and younger).
    
6. Seek electronic equipment (computers, printers, software, televisions, radios, stereos, etc.  But note: as of 2002, electronic equipment is no longer selling well in rummage sales; further, it is difficult to get rid of once the sale is over. Also avoid exercise equipment!
    
7. Encourage church members to “start cleaning out closets now,” and to bring all donated articles to the church beginning (date).
    

Two months before the sale

1. Line up a “Manager of the Day” for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday sale days.
    
2. Line up two assistants for each of the days Monday through Thursday.
    
3. Announce the need for rummage sale managers and assistants at the Mother Daughter Banquet.
    
4. Contact all of the women’s groups in the church and ask them to sign up to provide several volunteers for a three-hour shift to work together sorting, pricing, etc.
   • Four women’s support groups
   • Parents’ Morning Out group
   • Three book groups (Mother Daughter Book Group, Nine to Ninety Book Group, and Women who Read)
   • Daytimers
   • Youth Group
   • Other
   
    
5. Finalize publicity plans—identify person responsible for tracking deadlines.
    
6. Continue advertising the sale and soliciting donated items through the church newsletter
    

One month before the sale

1. Begin making contacts for placing newspaper ads, etc.
    
2. Determine where in the church donations might be collected—social hall or closet?
    
3. Ask teens for a plan on how to organize the electronic merchandise (i.e. categories, what’s needed, such as power strips)
    
4. Secure volunteers willing to “price” items in the sale
    
5. Announce the need for volunteers at the Annual Meeting of the AUW and at the church’s annual meeting
    
6. Send postcards to all church members: Ten Reasons to Shop at the AUW Rummage Sale. Suggest that members make a monetary contribution if they are unable to work at the sale, bake, or donate merchandise.
    
7. Finalize schedule of volunteers