If you’ve lived around here for any length of time, you’ll be familiar with the Mountain Forum for Peace (MFP) Yard Sale. Once again it’s coming up fast! The MFP Yard Sale is the biggest and best community reuse/recycle event in the Peak to Peak area. The goal of this event is to keep nice, reusable goods out of the landfill. Here’s a little history about how it all came about.

One morning in 1985, six local mountain women were sitting around a table having coffee when they decided to join forces. Arlene, Barbara, Ellen, Jean, Liz, Lori and Phillys, (soon to be joined by Sally), were interested in promoting peace and working to remove the threat of nuclear annihilation. The group participated in the anti-nuclear demonstrations at Rocky Flats, and some journeyed to the Nevada nuclear test in support of disarmament. The next year, they decided to fund some of their activities and projects through a yard sale. The first sale was held in Barbara Farwell’s yard and garage. MFP’s main fundraiser was born.

Thirty-five years later, founding member Ellen Moore can still be found sorting the boutique items at the annual MFP Yard Sale. Over the years it evolved, finally moving into the Nederland Community Center where it takes over almost the entire upper level. MFP is still 100% volunteer run. All funds raised get funneled directly into peace education, charities and local projects.

In 2020, as the pandemic changed life as we know it, MFP connected with local Health and Human Resource Agencies. Emergency grant donations of $1,000 each were issued to the Nederland Food Pantry, Gilpin Food Pantry, Nederland Area Seniors Meals on Wheels Program, the Nederland branch of the EFAA, Canyon Cares, and the Holistic Homestead. MFP launched a coordinated effort with the Gilpin based Mountain Mask Project, providing free face masks for businesses, organizations, and individuals. We helped fundraise and distribute thousands of dollars for the program, providing masks to construction workers, police officers, fire departments, postal workers in the early days of the pandemic when resources were extremely low. We continue to contribute to local and worldwide causes, from refugees and peace groups in Ukraine, Doctors without Borders, to US criminal justice reform programs, local environmental projects, peace gardens, food banks, senior groups, speaker events, creative arts contests and more.

The world we live in has changed this past couple of years, and our grassroots group of volunteers have had to keep up. Some good things have inevitably faced change, and we’ve had to grapple with that at this year’s yard sale. We can still take in lots of kinds of items; clothing, kitchenware, tools, decorations, frames, craft and office supplies, lighting, books, shoes, sports and camping equipment, clean toys with all the parts, bikes, cds, dvds, vinyl, small working appliances, health equipment, pet supplies, jewelry, musical instruments, art, puzzles, small furniture like side tables, coffee tables, chairs, or smallish dining and shelving sets. We do ask that folks REALLY carefully look at their drop-offs and evaluate the cleanliness and resale value of the items. Better yet, help us by pricing your items yourself using blue masking tape and a sharpie!

The limitations by the charity shops downhill (that we donate our leftovers to) has changed the type and quality of items we can accept. We wish we had the ability to take and process all of these items too, but unfortunately cannot. We will no longer be accepting baby gear (bouncers, strollers, bottles, swings, play pens, cribs, car seats), no couches, no particle board furniture, no desks, no headboards, no bed frames, no filing cabinets, no mattresses, no futons, no tires, no scrap metal, no more clothes hangers. If you have any of these things that are in exceptionally nice condition, that you’re certain would sell, contact us and we’ll see what we can do. Save us all the heartache and please contact us before loading any of these things into your vehicle.

However, we will be offering a bulletin board for you to bring a picture of your large item and we will happily advertise your item to all of the MFP Yard Sale foot traffic.

Drop-off clean, unbroken items on Sunday, May 29, from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., (No drop-off Memorial Day), Tuesday, May 31, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. or Wednesday June 1, 11a.m. - 6 p.m. This year you’ll meet a friendly volunteer at the delivery door who will help you sort through your items before bringing them inside. If the items are not accepted, you’ll be given a few options, including directions on how to take the items to the Nederland Town Clean-Up event, or pay a small fee to have MFP recycle or dispose of your items. The fees we are facing for services like recycling, dumpsters, gas, and rentals, have all gone up, in many cases by over 100-300%.

We need everyone’s help to keep this event running! Can you volunteer to help us fold, sort, organize, price, lift, work the checkout? Volunteers needed every day from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. between Saturday, May 28, and especially on takedown day, Sunday, June 5. Volunteers get perks like early-bird shopping and drop-off times, free food and drinks. Volunteer over ten hours and get a super soft, organic cotton MFP T-shirt! You’ll meet the nicest bunch of people from long-time locals, to awesome newcomers. Email mfpnews@gmail.com, or PM us over facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ mountainforumforpeace.

The actual MFP Yard Sale will be on Friday, June 3, from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Saturday, June 4, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. and on Sunday, June 5, 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (everything is half price) 12 p.m. - 1 p.m. (everything is free)!