Donald Teuma-Castelletti
NORWAY BAY July 7, 2018
Recycling vendors and second-hand enthusiasts were in their glory on Saturday, as the annual community shopping experience took over a municipality on the river.
The Great Norway Bay Garage Sale took over the riverside population, running from 9 a.m. till three in the afternoon as folks rushed about in search of their big, thrifty find.
“The funds raised from this helps to buy supplies and help with expenses for the summer programs,” explained Dorothy Cowley, a volunteer who had a variety of items for sale that day.
Cowley explained that the event works in a variety of ways to help fundraise for the Norway Bay Municipal Association (NBMA), the group that oversees the summer programming for everything from swimming lessons to the end-of-season regatta.

First off, signs are sold to sellers, showing they had paid a membership fee to the NBMA, but then all vendors can choose to donate some of their profits to the group at the end of the day. As well, Cowley said, there were a few extra initiatives, like a group of ladies selling coffee and muffins and some hot dog grill masters, whose proceeds would benefit the NBMA, too.
Shoppers milled about the community, some seeking a certain item, others finding whatever would grab them.
Vendors seemed to notice a downturn in the number of customers this year, with some blaming the heat as a potential cause.
Leslie Stanton, a vendor with a yard full of various items, said she had noticed the streets to be much more cramped last year. It was harder to find a parking spot at the previous sale, she explained, a sign that it was a quieter turnout, though her property along the Second Line saw many shoppers stop in for a peek at their wares.
Stanton also said she had seen less sellers this year, which was reiterated by vendors in Norway Bay. Some had overheard that it was just too stifling the week before to take the time to drag out their old belongings.
Nonetheless, the group that turned out en masse seemed to be the local children. Kids, it was shared, have grown accustom to finding their new summer equipment, whether it be toys, board games, bikes and more, at the annual event. They had been sent out with some money from their parents, and accompanied or not, were on a mission to find that new treasure.
Popular items sought out this year, as shared by Stanton, included electronics, jewelry, and kids’ clothes.
Nancy Barber-Kearnan, another vendor, reiterated the popularity of the children’s clothing, but was surprised to find CDs were quite popular this year, especially in the classic rock variety.
As the day wrapped up and vendors looked at what was leftover, it came time for the tough decision – pack it up and hold onto it or donate it. Some vendors, like Barber-Kearnan, put out a table of free items, while others had plans to give it to local church groups or shelters.
Cowley, who planned to donate her leftovers to a women’s shelter, said the event in general is great for community spirit. But she also enjoys the garage sale for it’s recycling aspect, encouraging environmentally-friendly habits of reusing items, instead of sending everything old to a landfill.