A summer-long community garage sale raised more money for more groups this year.
Bobette and Steve Handel run the garage sale in the old high school gym on most summer weekends.
“I definitely had more donations this year and they were fantastic,” Bobette Handel said. “Approximately the same number of shoppers, maybe a few more. People are very, very good about making donations as they saw where the money was going.”
This year the sale raised $700 each for six groups: the Mineral Point Railroad Museum, Pointer Pantry, Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts scholarships, the Mineral Point Rescue Squad, Hodan Center and school lunch debts.
Last year, the sale raised $500 each for five groups.
Community members donate items to the sale, and shoppers are asked for donations that go back to the community. If people have had a disaster such as a fire or just don’t have the money for a needed item, they can have it for free.
“Due to the lack of help, it has been physically exhausting for me to keep doing this,” she said. “I did get a few more people this year over last year, but it takes every weekend out of my summers for the last two years.”
Next year, she plans to be open a couple weekends a month during the summer for sales.
“People will have to set up their own areas and price their own items. I won’t have all the clean up and set up then,” she said.
At the end of the season, unsold items go to Dodgeville and Platteville.
“I have stated over and over again that Mineral Point really needs a resale place similar to the Platteville Thrift Store or New Beginnings (in Dodgeville) where the money from these awesome donations would help our community,” Handel said. “However, it takes volunteers.”