KENT—One young entrepreneur, Lola Moerschell of Kent, made use of the Kent Sidewalk Sale Days to sell her crocheted animals in front of Kent Memorial Library and raise money for a cause.
As a rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, Moerschell focused her capstone project on animals and decided to learn how to crochet animals to sell and raise funds for Save the Sound.
“I picked Save the Sound because it is a nonprofit that deals with issues about caring for the environment,” Moerschell said, adding that having clean air and water helps the animals that live in and near Long Island Sound. She received a grant from the 21st Century Fund that allowed her to purchase yarn to make the crochet animals. By Friday afternoon she’d already sold half of her supply.
Hot weather and a few scattered showers did not daunt shoppers, who were out visiting the stores taking advantage of the markdowns, at this year’s four-day Kent Sidewalk Sale Days. Temperatures were close to 90 degrees and high humidity was in the air for the duration.
At the Golden Falcon Field, nonprofits had their tents up and were sharing literature and selling items. At the field were the Kent Republican Town Committee; Kent Volunteer Fire Department and auxiliary; Northwest Connecticut Land Conservation; Project SAGE; Kent Good Times Dispatch/Kent News Inc.; Kent Historical Society; Kent Quilters; Kent Affordable Housing and the Kent Democratic Town Committee with its bake sale and vintage clothing sale across the street in the Kent Town Center.
On Main Street, the Kent Lions Club volunteers were offering information about their activities and promoting the upcoming blood drive Monday, Aug. 19 and nearby Rosie’s Kitchen was selling her baked goods, including sourdough bagels and cupcakes. Kent Memorial Library was busy with its used book sale and selling $25 car raffle tickets for a chance to win a 2021 Jeep Compass Limited.
Volunteers at St. Andrew’s Parish Tag Sale were up early at their posts Friday, Aug. 2 for the Early Bird Preview Sale, where shoppers paid $20 to shop for one and a half hours prior to the general public. Charmian Place was out front greeting customers in her chicken costume for the “early birds.” It is a role that she’s done for five years, handing out bracelets to those who paid for the opportunity to shop early.
Hundreds of people worked their way through the tent filled with furniture and the garage displaying jewelry and then inside the Parish Hall.
Ron Marasco was inside the hall constantly moving items in from a temporary storage as things sold from the stage area. He explained the sale attracts a lot of antique dealers, but also people who appreciate what they have to offer.
“One guy is always one of the first people here each year. He does it as a hobby,” said Marasco. “All of our items are cleaned as they come in. Not all places are like that.”
“Two guys were here at 5:30 a.m.,” said George Potts.
One of the shoppers, Sandy, who declined to give her last name, said she comes each year because there is an eclectic mix of items offered at the tag sale. She also appreciates how the volunteers treat shoppers.
“Everyone is so nice here,” she said.
George-Ann Gowan was moving around the floor assisting customers.
“This is the fun day,” Gowan said, adding it makes the 30 days of preparation getting ready worth it. She wore a name tag that had two different cards with her name and messages. The first was “Ask Me a Question” and the second she’d switch to at 10 a.m., “Let’s Make a Deal.”
The Kent Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Sidewalk Sale Days and this year marked the 50th anniversary of the event, which was first started by Country Clothes owner Carol Jalbert as a way to sell off her inventory with dramatic markdowns.
