Magical mayhem at iconic rummage sale

CORNWALL — Through an unscientific sampling from among the hordes of bargain hunters at the annual Cornwall Rummage Sale (which ran from Saturday, July 20, until Monday, July 22, in scorching temperatures with humidity to match), the result was an assessment that the event was “Great.”  Nearly everyone said, “Great.”

Perfectly planned and executed, the three locations were overflowing with shoppers seeking books, appliances, stationery, fine clothing artfully displayed, respectable antiques and better furniture, art great and small, oriental rugs, sports and recreation equipment, baskets galore, fine china, jewelry, antique dolls, linens and more. 

It wasn’t even just that the prices were very low, as they ought to be at a rummage sale; it was also that the quality of the items was, for the most part, extremely high. 

There was a lot. No wonder people came from all over.

The three sale sites were Cornwall Town Hall (fine art and furniture); the UCC parish hall, which this year was home to boutique clothing, electronics and a very large book sale (in the past the hall has been the sale site for artwork, picture frames and decorative items); and Mohawk, which this year had the most breadth in its offerings of the three locations. 

Shoppers would check in with each other at each location, asking what they’d found at the other two sites. 

The annual event is the work of the Cornwall Woman’s Society and no one can quite recall  how long it has been happening, but they all agree that an accurate description is decades and decades. One woman estimated that the sale started more than 90 years ago.

The sale is always guided by the president of the society, so this year it was the responsibility of Maggie Cooley. She was quick to note that there were three or four department chairmen and at least 35 volunteers, all of whom are critical to the sale’s success.

The sale is the only fundraising event held by the society. Proceeds fund scholarships for local students continuing their education, ranging from awards of $200 up to $2,000. Twenty  nonprofit organizations will also receive support from the sale.

Cooley described the sale as “raising money for the betterment of Cornwall.”

Youthful volunteer Spencer Markow kept busy in one of the tents behind the Mohawk ski lodge by helping people to move large things. He said he was doing it, unmindful of the blistering heat, because he is helping his community.

Sabra Lee, also volunteering at Mohawk, described her duties as “sorting and selling,” and noted that she had been working for about two weeks on the sorting. She has volunteered every year since she was 13 or 14, she recalled.

Asked how she was doing in the miscellany tent, volunteer Bobbi Tyson happily reported a state of “mayhem.”

A comment overheard in the clothing boutique in the Congregational Church was from one of the volunteers, who said that she had never done so much ironing for so long a stretch in all her life, as she prepared for the sale.

“Do we need these, Mom?” was overheard also in the boutique, over and over. 

One shopper asked where she could find “little balls.” No doubt she found some; and no doubt they were well-priced, high-quality little balls.