Over 150 people turned up to the second Can Assist garage sale of the year to hunt for bargains. The Pavilions at the Parkes Showground were filled with furniture, household items, books and toys donated by locals. The ever popular lamingtons, 120 dozen baked by a local bakery, were snapped up quickly by hungry shoppers. Treasurer of Can Assist and organiser of the event, Adrianne Brown, said the sales of the day totalled $4500, which is a great boost for the fundraising efforts of the Parkes Branch.
The first garage sale of the year raised more than $6 000. Bev Walker, Publicity Officer of Can Assist, said the biggest rush was usually when the doors open at 8am with good pieces of furniture selling very well. Other popular items are books, household items like microwaves and toys. “You can fill a bag of toys for $2,” said Bev. “This is popular among grandparents who like having some toys for when the grandkids come to visit.” Another popular item is crockery which people who have a penchant for craft
hobbies, like mosaics, look for.
The garage sales, normally held during autumn and spring, form part of the Parkes branch’s ongoing fundraising efforts throughout the year. The money is used to help cancer patients and families with financial support
towards medication, travelling and accommodation expenses when they need to consult with specialists or receive chemotherapy or radiotherapy in Orange or Sydney.
The Parkes branch pays out up to $100,000 per year. Can Assist relies heavily on volunteer members for fundraising, “we always welcome new members,” said Bev. If you would like to get involved there is a meeting every second Tuesday of the month at the Neighbourhood Centre. Can Assist has over 50 branches in country NSW and provides direct support to local communities affected by cancer.
By Maggi Barnard