After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the perennially popular White Elephant Sale (WES) is back and intake continues today at the church from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Intake ends Thursday, June 30, and will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Details of items that will be accepted are below and also on the church website. Note that neither lamps nor audiovisual electronics will be accepted this year due to space limitations.
The sale itself will be held on Friday, July 8, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, July 9, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Most departments offer items at half-price on the second day. There may be some mask restrictions on inside shopping.
The Sale is hosted by the Ladies Benevolent Society of the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.
For those new to the town or folk who have never participated, this sale is one of the main events on both the town and church calendars. It all starts with the intake period when you can drop off unwanted items at the church from your house — perhaps your basement, attic or closets — or yard.
Garage, tag and rummage sales may be everyday affairs, but few, if any, can match the size and color of this one. The sale items are organized into some 20 departments that fill the church buildings as well as every available space on the lawn. The WES has grown so large that it has become a true “community event” since many of the donations are from non-church members and quite a number of volunteers are also from outside the church.
The sale raises a significant amount of money for missions and good works both locally and throughout the world. Some of the beneficiaries include food pantries, health organizations, family support centers, children’s programs, literacy volunteers, affordable housing, and disaster relief worldwide.
For more information about the sale or if you would like to volunteer to help in any capacity, whether with intake, the sale itself, or clean-up, call the church office at 860.434.8686 and/or visit www.fccol.org/wes.
See you at ‘The Sale’!
Here is a summary of items that are / are not accepted by the White Elephant Sale. For further information, visit www.fccol.org/wes.
Items that will GLADLY be accepted [Quality please]
- Antiques, Fine China, Silver
- Appliances, Small (Working)
- Art, Sculpture, Posters, Frames
- Automobiles, Trucks [call church]
- Baskets
- Bedding, Linens
- Boats, Canoes, Kayaks
- Bicycles, Tricycles
- Books: Children’s, Non-Fiction, Fiction
- Clothes:
- Child’s, Men’s, Women’s
- Fine, Fashion
- Vintage, Costume & Accessories
- Collections
- Computer Hardware (working)
- Christmas Decorations
- Curtains, Drapes
- Furniture, Indoor & Outdoor [call church]
- Gifts, Sundries, Knickknacks
- Jewelry: Costume & Fine
- Kitchen Items (Appliances, Dishes, Cookware)
- Luggage [soft side or Steamer trunks only]
- Musical Instruments
- Plants, Containers
- Shoes
- Skis – downhill must be “shape” style
- Sporting Goods [good condition]
- Tools (House & Garden)
- Toys, Stuffed Animals
- VHS, DVDs (Family Content)
Items that WILL NOT be accepted:
- Dirty or Broken Items or Junk
- Appliances (Large):
- Air Conditioners
- Refrigerators & Stoves
- Freezers
- Washers & Dryers
- Bike helmets [used]
- Books:
- Technical or Textbooks
- Encyclopedias
- Car Seats
- Chemicals
- Computers & monitors
- Cribs
- Electronics: audiovisual
- Furniture: Particle Board, Stuffed Sofas, Dining Room Sets & Hutches
- Luggage (hard sided)
- Fuel cans with Gasoline or Kerosene
- Guns, Knives, Weapons
- Lamps
- Magazines, Newspapers
- Mattresses and Box Springs
- Paint
- Particle board furniture
- Rugs
- Sewing Machines
- Skis – old style downhill
- Stuffed animals (unless new)
- Tires
- Treadmills
- TVs (all styles)