Cliff Buchan
News EditorOn paper it may sound like a bunch of garage sales, but members of the Forest Lake Lions Club think it could become a lot more.
What is starting out small is the clubís second annual Forest Lake Lions Club Community Garage Sale June 3-5.
The club is adding a tent sale this year on June 3-4 to provide a sales avenue for area residents who donít want to take the time to have their own garage sale.
ìWe want it to grow each year,î said Rich Jabas, who is co-chair of the weekend events with Dick LaMere. ìOur goal is to be as big as Woodbury with 800 sales.î
The Forest Lake weekend is still a far cry from the highly popular Woodbury event where the Lions Club there is a key player.
But Jabas and LaMere, undaunted by last yearís slow start, hope the Forest Lake public will catch the momentum this year.
How it works
The communitywide garage sale weekend is in partnership with ECM Publishers, Inc., owner of the St. Croix Valley Peach and Forest Lake Times.
Between now and Friday, May 21, Jabas says area residents are welcome to register to take part in the garage sale weekend.
The community garage sale opens Thursday, June 3 and ends on a Saturday, June 5.
Residents who take part can have their sales on any or all of the three-day period.
On Sunday, May 30, the St. Croix Valley Peach will contain a detailed list of all homes taking part in the community garage sale.
The cost to take part is $20, Jabas says, adding that the fee buys much tmore han the ad in the Peach.
Hereís what the $20 fee will deliver:
ïPeach ad jointly paid for by the club and ECM Publishers listing the location of all participants.
ïA Lions lawn sign to show homeowner participation. Club members will deliver the signs on June 2 and pick them up after the sale ends.
ïTo register for the community garage sale, call ECM Publishers at 651-464-4601.
Secondary event
As a secondary and new event this year, the club will have a tent sale for the public in the parking lot at Roxyís Total Image, 1031 S. Lake St. on Thursday and Friday, June 3-4. Sale hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days.
Tent sale coordinator LaMere says this event is an opportunity for anyone in the area to donate items for the sale. Any unsold items will go the Family Pathways Thrift Store at Northland Mall.
ìIf they want to donate it, weíll take it,î LaMere said of items for the two-day tent sale.
Club members have been busy the past month accumulating personal items for the tent sale.
Now they are interested in collecting items from anyone in the public who may wish to donate.
Donated items can be brought to the tent site at Roxyís Total Image on Wednesday, June 2 where the sale will be assembled. Club members are also willing to make pick ups, if necessary.
Anyone willing to donate items for the tent sale may call LaMere at 651-464-3593 or Jabas at 651-464-0932 for more information.
ìWeíre going to fill up that parking lot,î Jabas said.
And the sale could help the club raise funds for club projects, LaMere says.
ìIím looking at raising $2500 from the tent sale,î LaMere said.
The sale is patterned after other past large community sales that were successful fund-raisers and popular with the public, the veteran Lions Club member said.
Concessions will also be sold both days at the tent sale.
All proceeds raised from the community garage sale campaign and the tent sale will go local community projects supported by the Lions.
Just a start
Club members hope the sales of June 3-5 will become the foundation of an expanded weekend fun celebration for Forest Lake in the future.
The big weekend happens as the summer Arts in the Park program opens with a free performance by the Rockiní Hollywoods at Lakeside Memorial Park in the downtown.
In the future, LaMere and Jabas believe, the community garage sale weekend could expand to include events such as an arts and craft show, a boat show, a pancake breakfast and other fun events for the public.
But first, the Lions said, they hope people in the area planning garage or rummage sales this spring will mark June 3-5 as the days for their sales and join the club with this yearís promotion.
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