To the editor:
I would like to express my extreme concern about community support of the last two City Wide Yard Sales. Attitudes have drastically changed since its inception in 1997. At that time, I was the new director for the Caribou Chamber of Commerce. The Board of Directors had heard about similar events and assigned me this task. Recruiting participants and building awareness of this event was a formidable hurdle. Fortunately, the station manager for Q-96.1 was on my Board of Directors. David Lyman generously donated $1,200 of advertising to promote this event. I supplemented these public service announcements with posters and bag stuffers. The Aroostook Republican wrote several articles about this novel idea. Mike Bosse’s company, Marketing Advertising and Planning, loaned us their map of Caribou. We charged people $7 to be listed in 2,400 City Wide Yard Sale flyers.
The date of this event was relative to the City Wide Clean Up. Then Public Works Director Dave Bell agreed to collect any unwanted items after our yard sale was done. However, this needed to be accomplished before June. Consequently, the date for our event needed to be in mid-May.
We had 42 participants in our first City Wide Yard Sale (CWYS). The weekend was cold and rainy. As I visited the vendors, I expected to hear disappointing stories about the inclement weather ruining attendance. On the contrary, everyone was ecstatic. They were overrun by waves of enthusiastic bargain hunters. Since the original map didn’t list business hours, many participants had people in their driveways at 6 a.m. To address this issue, we incorporated everyone’s business hours in future flyers.
Participation more than doubled for our second CWYS in 1998 as 96 people eagerly paid us $8 to be listed in 4,000 maps. We used different colored signs to identify that year’s sponsors. The crowds were much larger. Businesses noticed a considerable spike in activity. Restaurants, gas stations, and convenience stores had traffic spilling out into the streets. As I toured the yard sale locations, I polled customers. Everyone was enthusiastic, but many were fatigued. They were searching for specific items and weren’t able to visit every location.
In 1999, the map included a list of items for each vendor. This helped shoppers target locations, which were selling the items they wanted. We mailed numerous maps to people from southern Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. We had 164 participants that year. Everyone was glad to register and be part of the event. Caribou was flooded with a sea of bright green CWYS signs. I surveyed the participants and businesses and estimated $60,000 to $80,000 had changed hands that weekend!
Other communities observed our success and decided to host similar events. However, their Chambers of Commerce didn’t want to upstage us. Consequently, they scheduled their Yard Sale dates after ours. (This is why it would be difficult to change the date of the Caribou City Wide Yard Sale now).
During the last couple years, I’ve noticed a drastic shift in official support of Caribou’s City Wide Yard Sale. I haven’t been directly associated with the CCC&I since 2002. However, I still have a personal interest in this event. I have been quick to notice if someone is displaying a participant’s sign. As I shopped each location, I always thanked sponsors for officially supporting it. Many participants mentioned neighbors, who never registered … but repeatedly held yard sales on the same weekend. As I was visiting these locations, I’d ask why they weren’t on the map. Excuses ranged from “I missed the registration deadline” to “I just decided to do a yard sale this week.” When I explained the CCC&I would still sell them a sign at a reduced cost, many didn’t know how to respond. I asked if they were successful. They were very pleased with their profits and claimed they would officially register next year.
In 2008, I noticed a huge number of locations without signs. I physically tallied all of the locations hosting yard sales and compared it to the list of registered participants. I estimated 40 percent of the locations were taking advantage of their neighbors! Last year, it was drastically worse. At least 60 percent of the homes were not on the map! Many were 2008 vendors who “planned” to register in 2009.
What has happened to our residents’ moral compasses? This isn’t right. Advertising and staff hours aren’t free. It costs money to compile the information and promote this event. People are exploiting the participants, which have generously supported this project.
Map distribution has increased to 9,000 copies! The $13 registration fee is a bargain. Everyone prospers and easily recoups his/her participation investment. This “Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free?” mentality must stop. If it doesn’t our cherished event is doomed. Loyal participants will eventually tire and join the hoards of freeloaders.
The 2008 CWYS had 103 registered participants. Last year’s numbers dipped to 97! In contrast, there were over 200 sites out there. The Caribou City Wide Yard Sale will implode due to lack of financial support! There is no good excuse for not registering. Friday, April 23rd is the last day to register. If you intend to have a yard sale on that weekend, please be a team player. If you are shopping at the CWYS and notice vendors without an official sign, ask them why they didn’t support their community.
Caribou
