By SHELBA NIVENS / Community Columnist

“We had a really good turn-out,” said Linda Brasher, organizer of Chelsea Church of God’s recent yard and bake sale. “We made over $500. When people found out what we were doing it for, we got some donations.”

The church is working to finish the upstairs area of their building, Linda said. Since she didn’t have extra money to give, she asked herself, “What can I do to raise money to help?”

Knowing she’s not good at working yard sales, and with Parkinson’s limiting her physical activity, she decided to try organizing a yard and bake sale with other people doing the heavy work.

“The only Saturday I had free was the 16th,” she said, and that was just over a week away. But they have a good, dependable group of ladies at the church, so she contacted them and got lots of volunteers.

Some of them were out of town when the date came, she said. But they still had a good slate of workers, and lots of donated goods, including a sofa and home-baked bread and scones, made by Leslie Arnold.

Linda said she was concerned that very many people wouldn’t know about the sale because they failed to get it in the paper. But word got around, and even people driving by and noticing them set up in the church parking lot, stopped.

“It was a good day all around,” she said. “The Lord just worked everything out. The Foundry came and got what we had left, so we didn’t have to clean up left-overs. Everybody worked together real well. We made money for a good cause, and we helped other people.”

“I couldn’t have done it by myself,” Linda said. “I’d like to thank everyone who helped in anyway.”

Proceeds from the sale will go toward the cost of a heating and cooling system for the upstairs area of the church. When finished, this floor will house the youth and children’s church departments.

Chelsea Church of God is located on SC Road 39 just past City Hall. You can find the church on Facebook, or call 678-7775.

 

Shelba Nivens can be reached by email at Shelbasn@juno.com.