Buyers look for garage-sale bargains

FRED LYNCH * flynch@semissourian.com

About 60 people turned out for the first Mom's Day 3K event at Jackson City Park Saturday in celebration of motherhood, health and family fitness. The event was co-sponsored by Jackson Parks and Recreation and Main Street Family Fitness Center.By Chris Pagano

Southeast Missourian

Hundreds of people flocked to the Osage Community Centre on Saturday, looking for a bargain and some camaraderie at the spring garage sale.

"Spring and fall garage sales are among the more popular," said Amy Roth, recreation coordinator at the Osage Centre. "We have a good turnout due to people cleaning their houses. The most popular items are baby clothes and toys."

Garage sales are also held at the center in January and August.

Gil and Jean Seres, local antique dealers, had a booth for the first time and attributed the success of obtaining it to friend Mark Bonney, who waited in line to get it. The Seres were selling the remaining possessions of their daughter, who had moved away.

Bonney was helping his wife, Merrilee, who finds selling antiques a morale booster.

"I was home for a long time due to lung reduction surgery resulting from lung cancer. It gave me a chance to get back out into society," she said.

Her parents had an antique shop, and when they died she inherited the merchandise.

"The only way to find out what it's worth is to go out and shop," she said. "When the garage became full, I began to sell."

Besides having the merchandise, "you have to be organized," said vendor Edward Pikes of Cape Girardeau. "Next time we'll bring more stuff and everything will be boxed, priced and ready to go."

In addition to cleaning, dusting and tagging the merchandise, Pikes said, a successful vendor has "good prices, a smile and readiness to barter."

By 10 a.m., three-fourths of his merchandise was sold.

Frances Patterson of Cape Girardeau has been a Salvation Army bell ringer for 24 years. Her collection of over 400 bells is about complete, so Patterson has switched to collecting butterflies. With her collection numbering at 300, she was happy to find a new addition of a copper butterfly for a dollar.

Outside, Linda Hargraves of Fruitland sat admiring her new treasures: a small pressure cooker, puzzles, books and a couple of bracelets. She considers herself a faithful shopper.

"I like the hustle and bustle," Hargraves said. "I meet up with people I know and get a chance to talk to them."

cpagano@semissourian.com

355-6611, extension 133