Royal Rummage planning begins for March sale

The Father Edward Pick Fellowship Hall was abuzz with the efforts of busy workers unpacking and sorting donations from over the past year. Though there’s still just over a month to go until the Royal Rummage at St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church, the inventory is already taking shape. 

“We think we’ll have as much as we did before (in 2020), because we’ve collected things during the hiatus,” co-Chair Ginny Akhoury said. 

Last time the Royal Rummage was held was March 2020, about a week before the pandemic hit. Hundreds of people crowded into the parish hall, a sight that won’t be seen again this year. Akhoury said they’re expecting a middle-of-the-road crowd instead rather than a hall so packed that moving was made difficult. 

The volunteer group, however, is as large as it has been in years past. This is Akhoury and co-chair Bonnie Schneider’s first time leading the efforts; they took over from the late Ingrid Wisniewsky. More than a dozen volunteers started their work on Jan. 12, unpacking and sorting items. Volunteer Gail Buermann was in charge of purses, belts, hats, scarves and ties. She said face masks could be in her category, too, but she hadn’t come across any yet. As they go through boxes of items, some will get donated. By Jan. 26, there were about 20 volunteers who came over after 9 a.m. Mass, and Akhoury said she’s expecting to see more come down. 

“This is a dedicated group,” Akhoury said. “They’re veterans of the rummage. They know what to do, and we have people who only come down for a month but make time to volunteer.”