All artwork is original by Edie Twining.
Editor’s Note: The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme’s 86th Annual White Elephant Sale is over. The results have not yet been finalized but we are hearing it was perhaps yet another record-breaking success. But how do the organizers pull it off year after year? We received this delightful series of cartoons from Edie Twining illustrating how the remarkably efficient sorting process is followed prior to the sale. She also sent a written description of the steps that are pursued with precision and expressed her thanks to all involved for welcoming her as one of the volunteers. Twining submitted the artwork and text as a ‘Comment’ but we have chosen to share them as our lead story today because, in our opinion, they offer such a pleasant way to start the week.
OLD LYME—The volunteers at the White Elephant Sale are an amazing group of people from all denominations and all persuasions. We all work in our sections sorting miles and miles of donations.
A typical morning of intake consists of a rush of ‘in-takers’ unloading vehicles and unpacking plastic crates, cardboard boxes and garbage bags.
Each item is sorted into rows of shopping carts along one side of the hall and tables across from them. Big yellow signs indicate categories like: pots ‘n’ pans, appliances, books, music, men’s, kid’s, women’s clothes, toys, shoes, art, fine goods, kitchen, knick-knacks, linens, etc. …
The carts are rolled down to departments or the elevator and taken to Sunday School rooms in the basement where sorters clean, sort and tag every item. Bag after bag of clothing is distributed to Men’s, Kid’s and Women’s departments. Some days you can barely get by the piles of bags of women’s clothes. Helpers hang each item onto a rolling rack or place it into Accessories bins.
Thank you for having me as part of the gang!
Edie Twining,
Old Lyme.