2009 Donations

I know many of you always want to know where all the donated items go at the end of the sale. A wonderful friend, Laura Ly, takes all the donated items back to her home and seperates them out based on needs that we are told about. We also allow Laura to have a few yard sales with the items with the money going to medical treatments for her daughter who has cerebral palsy. We at Encores North have been blessed to see how far Madalyn has come with these experimental treatments that their insurance will not cover.

To give you an idea of just how much the consignors donated at the Fall 2009 sale, it took Laura and her husband plus many friends and family HOURS to pack up the items and the items literally filled 2 UHaul trucks. I receive many emails of families/groups in need and I literally forwarded those emails on to Laura who has the biggest heart. We were able to donate several suitcases full of clothing to children in orphanages in Ethiopia, clothing to a family who lost their home to a fire, a box of items went to Haiti, another family with a newborn in Springfield who lost their apartment to a fire, and one of the nurses from the NICU at Vanderbilt came and was able to get loads of preemie and newborn items for the families who don't have anything at the hospital. Here is her list of where items went:

1. The summer clothes went to the Baptist church in Portland. They are taking a mission trip to Honduras in January.

2. The shoes went to Soles for Souls.

3. All of the donated clothes not on hangers from you and friends and family along with toys and misc. items went to Chris Warren (Angela's pastor) He took it to the Cope Center in Springfield and HALO that give clothes to those in need.

4. All of the fall and winter baby clothes, maternity clothes, and baby stuff went to Open Door Pregnancy Center in Springfield.

5. Some clothes went to a family in Portland whose house burned down.

6. Sweats, sweaters, and jackets went to Barren Heights retreat for families with disabilities.

7. 2 boxes of clothes went to Vena Stuart Elementary in Gallatin. I was told this school is the most in need in Sumner County.

8. 2 boxes of pants went to H.B. Williams elementary for children who have accidents.

9. 2 boxes of navy and tan pants and polo shirts went to metro schools for children who have accidents.

10. 2 boxes of clothes went to a family of 5 in need. Two are foster children and mom is 25 weeks pregnant and on bedrest.

11. 1 box of clothes went to a family in need with a child with Spina Bifida.

12. All of the clothes left hanging in my garage went to Micki at Be Blessed. They are working to give clothes to children in need in Robertson Co.

13. I gave any new toys, electronics, movies, socks, and purses to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. St. Jude is the first and only pediatric cancer center to be designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute.

So when you are hanging and tagging for the Spring 2010 sale, please consider putting a D for donate under your consignor number. Not only will we waive your $10 consignor fee, but your items are greatly impacting many lives in Sumner, Robertson, and Davidson Counties. Also, if you know of a group or family in need, please don't hesitate to email us.