Editor:

Verona United Methodist Church women’s group, decided they wanted to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, and they decided on a rummage sale. So, ever since 2005, they have put together two rummage sales every year. It has grown from one room to six rooms. They have taken in many donations of items, such as, furniture, bedding, rugs, kitchen items, baby items, books, clothes, weight loss equipment, medical equipment, holiday items, nick-knacks and baked goods

We do not set prices, for anything, everything is sold buy donations, except baked goods are the only thing priced, leaving it up to our guests, who are shopping, what they wish to pay. We have always met the money needed, to meet so many needs. We do this twice a year.

We have been able to raise enough money to help many local missions, such as Cabbage Patch at Christmas time, Preble and other local food banks, community outreach, local families in need, like earlier this summer, with the tornadoes that hit our area; breakfast with Santa, where each child, one month old to 18 years old receives a gift, plus a free pancake breakfast with sausage, juice, milk, coffee, and donuts for the whole family. We have served over 45 families.

During Beggars’ Night in the community, they serve, sweet goodies, hot dogs, chips, and drinks. We also help with the Women’s Center, senior meals, shut-in meals, and recovery meals. Not to mention working in the Appalachian area, the Henderson settlement, Redbird missions, plus outreaches to St. Jude, Naomi’s Heart, Operation Smile, and just a little further, missions to Belize, Guatemala, Israel, and Alaska.

Whatever is left at the end of the sale goes to organizations of need, such as the Women’s Center, with newer gently used baby items; Coats for Kids; clothes distribution sites such as St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in downtown Dayton; Job Works at Job and Family Services, and the Salvation Army just to mention a few.

We are grateful for the outreach of the community to help in this mission we have.

Thank you from the Verona United Methodist Women, and don’t forget to watch for a sale in the spring.

The next rummage sale at Verona United Methodist Church, located at 206 S. State Street in Verona, is set for Thursday Oct. 3, 5-8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 4, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m.-noon.

Paul Lindquist

Verona United Methodist Church