Shades Valley Lutheran to hold annual garage sale

The youth of Shades Valley Lutheran Church in Homewood are planning their annual summer mission trip — this time to aid flood victims near San Antonio, Texas — but they need some financial help in order to make the journey happen.

That’s why they’ll host their annual youth garage sale and fundraiser at the church on June 17-18, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., according to youth director Marcia Giordano. The mission trip to Texas, scheduled for July 9-20, will be carried out through the Presbyterian Church USA. 

The youth run the sale, including all the setup and cleanup, and most of the donations come from church members and friends, according to Giordano.

Not only do the church youth benefit from the sale, but it helps other people in the community, according to Giordano. “A lot of the items left over are donated to other charities in town,” she said. “We gather everything up and it goes in different directions depending on what the needs are.” 

Some of the recipients of clothing and other items include The Foundry and The Exchange Club.

In addition, there are usually one or two families in distress each year who are invited to come to the sale and pick up items they need free of charge, according to Giordano. “Last year, there was a family whose house had burned [and] we let them come through and get what they needed,” she said.

The sale typically features a wide, unpredictable variety of items, but there is usually plenty of clothing for adults and children, according to Giordano. “The interesting thing is we sell all of our clothing items for $2 and under,” she said.

Shoppers can get some great deals on quality clothing at the sale. “A lot of our members are from Homewood and Vestavia and Mountain Brook, so you can get some nice stuff for a dollar or two,” Giordano said. 

The bargains get even better on Saturday at noon, when all items at the sale go to half price, according to Giordano.

People who would like to support the youth’s efforts can donate items to the sale until Tuesday, June 14, by dropping them off at the church, which is located at 720 Shades Creek Parkway.

For more information, call 871-3512 or go to shadesvalleylutheran.org.