Kids Market Success Leads To Second Sale Scheduled For Spring
Posted
Tim Robertson-trobertson@timesuniononline.com
Kids Market Inc. coordinators said this year's market, held Sept. 15, was so successful that next year they will add a second sale.
In a letter to those who contributed to this year's sale, coordinator Gretchen Smoker wrote, "This year was definitely our biggest sale to date."
Kids Market was started in 2000 by two mothers who came up with the idea of a one-stop consignment sale where parents could find good deals on clothes for their kids, and people in the community could bring their children's items to sell.Since then, Kids Market has grown into a not-for-profit organization aimed at helping women and children in the county.
According to Smoker, market customers bought 14,207 items at this year's sale.
Kids Market is a consignment sale featuring infant, children's and maternity items at yard-sale prices. Area families contribute items and receive 60 percent of the selling price for each item they sold at the sale. The remaining 40 percent is used by Kids Market to pay for rental of the building, supplies and marketing for the sale. The money Kids Market has left over after paying for the sale's expenses is donated to charity.
"I saw first hand how many lives were touched and how many people were helped through this year's sale," wrote Smoker. "We were once again able to give vouchers to many families in need, and we look forward to giving another gift to the area charities that benefit the women and children of our area."
Leah Hoskins, Kids Market public relations volunteer, said Kids Market donated $6,000 from the September sale to local charities, including Beaman Home, Heartline Pregnancy Center, Project Independence, Beds And Britches Etc. and some local Mothers Of Preschoolers groups.
According to Smoker, the spring sale will be held March 13-16. "We have been asked to offer this sale for a while now and finally feel that the time is right," Smoker wrote.
The sale's growth led to the decision to schedule a second sale.
"We've gotten so big, we're outgrowing Rodeheaver," Smoker said in a telephone interview Tuesday. Event organizers hope seasonal sales in the spring and fall will allow the sale to continue to be held at Rodeheaver Auditorium, Winona Lake. "This year, we were spilling out the doors - literally," wrote Smoker.
Smoker said the success of this year's sale was connected to the people involved.
"I feel like this year the community really stood behind us," she said. "And, our volunteers were outstanding."
