May 12, 2010
If you’re a resident, neighborhood group, school, church, business or other organization in the Benson-Ames Alliance (B-AA), mark your calendar for Saturday, May 22. If you’re a fan of garage sales, you’ll want to make note of that day as well.
The alliance will host its first ever Big Green Garage Sale on that date. The B-AA is bordered by Western Avenue on the south, Sorensen Parkway on the north, Saddle Creek Road/Fontenelle Boulevard on the east and 72nd Street on the west. All those who live, work and operate within the alliance are encouraged to have a garage sale – big or small, single or multi-family – May 22. Those who do so can advertise their sale on www.biggreengaragesale.com free of charge. They also will receive a reusable garage sale sign to help draw street and sidewalk traffic to their event.
To post a sale, go to www.biggreengaragesale.com and click on the “add your garage sale” icon. Fill in the fields and hit “submit.” One of the fields allows the sale holder to post the items they’ll be selling. Sales can be posted until the event begins at 8:00am May 22.
If you’re a shopper, you can use the site to browse the sales, search by item, and even create a route and print directions.
“Now that spring is here, we wanted to do something that supports our sustainable philosophy and is easy for any interested individual or group to participate in,” said Lisa Dale, chair of the Benson-Ames Alliance Steering Council and principal at Benson High School. The alliance, a grassroots group of community leaders formed in 2005 to help guide the revitalization of the Benson-Ames area, is striving to become a sustainable community that actively seeks a balance between its built and natural environments.
Dale said the alliance is encouraging all those who hold a sale to donate a certain percentage of their proceeds to a local nonprofit or cause, green or otherwise. In addition to reducing what ends up in the landfill and raising a bit of money for good causes, the event is also an opportunity to welcome newcomers to the alliance area, she noted.
Those who come in search of bargains May 22 can also stop by the Benson Farmers Market on Maple Street at Military Avenue in downtown Benson. The market runs from 8:00am to noon each Saturday through the fall.
For more information about the event, call 402.554.4010 or visit www.biggreengaragesale.com.