Shades Valley Lutheran hosts its annual youth garage sale

Shades Valley Lutheran Church held its annual garage sale on Friday and Saturday, June 8-9, with thousands of items on sale.

As usual, the event -- in its 16th year -- supports summer mission work by youth groups rom SVLC and Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Hoover.

Proceeds will allow about a dozen youth to travel from June 23–July 1, doing service work at Camp Restore in New Orleans and attending the ELCA National Youth Gathering in Houston.

The sale included housewares, clothes, toys, appliances, books, tools, furniture and craft items.

It was held mainly in the fellowship hall at SVLC but also spilled out into some other rooms and a courtyard, where organizers offered some furniture and other items for sale and set up a table offering refreshments.

Peak attendance at the sale usually occurs when it opens on Saturday morning at 8 a.m., according to event organizer Carrie Peters.

“They are lined up ready to shop,” she said.

The crowd on Friday, as of early afternoon, had been “steady,” Peters said.

The youth taking part in the June trip had worked at the church all week -- since about Sunday night -- helping to prepare for the sale, according to Peters.

And about a dozen adults helped out, including the chaperones who will go on the trip, she said.

Peters said she always looks forward to the sale, even though “it’s a ton of work.”

And “the kids love being here,” she said, in part because the time spent together working on the sale with the other young people “gets them geared up” to go on the road trip.

Stephanie Peters, who just graduated from Spain Park High School, will be going on the mission trip for the fourth consecutive trip.

Putting on the sale is “fun,” she said while helping customers at the checkout table. “I’m doing it with my friends in the youth group.”

And the trip is rewarding, as well. “It’s helping others that don't have as much as we do,” Stephanie Peters said.

Jackson Smitherman, a rising junior at Homewood High School, will be taking part in the mission trip for the second time.

He said he is excited about helping others in a direct, personal way.

‘Seeing your work and seeing your impact directly on somebody and on a whole group of people is really what i'm looking forward to,” he said.

Unsold items are to be donated to other local charities.