This was the first annual Mountain Forum for Peace (MFP) Yard Sale since 2019 to be held the week after Memorial Day, as MFP has typically done for many many years. Much to the relief of volunteers, this year saw business resume as usual for the yard sale and the many volunteers. There is a core group of around twenty volunteers who dedicate an enormous amount of time to pull the event off. From set-up, signage, accepting donations, cleaning, sorting and organizing items, pricing, and take- down, the whole event takes a huge amount of coordination and goodwill.

Volunteers were forced to be more particular this year about the type and quality of items that could be accepted. This is because at the end of the sale, leftovers are donated to Arc, and they have changed their acceptance criteria, and so MFP had to also. We also had to encourage cleanliness, again for donation purposes, but also because we have plenty of elderly and immunocompromised volunteers. Unfortunately, because of these modest requirements some volunteers faced increased hostility from those trying to offload their items. Thankfully, we were able to direct folks to the Town Clean Up event, held on Saturday.

Many amazing and unusual items came through the doors. We really never know what is going to come in. This year, there seemed to be fewer clothes than usual, but more plants. There was an amazing selection of skis, snowboards and outdoor gear. We had three tents, many sleeping bags and sleeping pads. There was a huge variety of puzzles and board games, but less children’s toys than usual. We had many great musical instruments from bagpipes and guitars to djembes and chimes.

The feedback from hundreds of area residents as they dropped off their items and shopped was overwhelmingly positive. Some out-of-town visitors eagerly asked if we’d be hosting the event again next week. First time attendees were absolutely amazed at the scale and organization; one gentleman said that he went to many large yard sales, and that this was the very best that he’d ever been to!

By the end of the sale, MFP had grossed around $14,000. This amount will decrease quite a bit once we’ve paid off all our fees for holding the event. Almost all of the fees have doubled or tripled within the past couple of years. We pay to rent and clean the community center, and we pay for a dumpster for the things that cannot be donated or recycled. Arc no longer pays for the goods that get donated to them as they used to do. At the end of the final day, once everything has been cleared away, MFP treats all the yard sale volunteers with a big, well deserved dinner. This year, the kind folks over at Tres Gringos graciously fed twenty achy and hungry MFPers.

A huge thank you to all of the volunteers, from those who popped in for an hour or two to those who virtually slept at the community center for the week. Without the commitment of these amazing folks, this re-use, recycle event would not be possible, and it means a lot to many people. A big thank you to Barb Hardt, who always manages to take a group volunteer photo right before noon, just before we open up the MFP Yard Sale when everything goes for free after that point. We’d never get a chance to stop and take a photo otherwise, and the gesture really means a lot! Thanks also to the Community Center folks, who put up with the madness for over a week and offer their support and guidance. Lastly, a big thank you to everyone who drops off items and to everyone who comes and shops!

MFP is 100% volunteer powered, no-one gets paid, and all of the money gets donated on to local and national peace charities and organizations, and to events and programs that promote peace and justice both at home and further afield. Thanks everyone for keeping this longtime local event afloat!

To find out more about the MFP, check out their website at https://www.mountainforumforpeace.com/.