Shopping for a Good Cause at Flanagin’s Garage Sale

The annual Flanagin’s Bulk Mail Service Garage Sale began day one of a two-day long event. This is a yearly fundraiser that Donna Flanagin, owner of Flanagin’s Bulk Mail Service, and her daughters Monica Flanagin Decker and Erica Flanagin George undertake with gusto.

“We like to give back to the community and this is an easy and rewarding way to do it,” Donna said. “We have a lot of great things for sale this year. It’s a great day to get bargains.”

Flanagin’s collect donations for the garage sale months in advance and keep them in their warehouse. Not all items are priced, as shoppers are allowed to offer a fair donation for their purchases instead.

This year, proceeds go to the Dayspring Women's Center in Valparaiso. Dayspring Women's Center is a nonprofit organization that opened in 2012 and has been serving women and children who have fallen on hard times. Since then have helped hundreds of women and children navigate their way toward stability and independence.

“Flanagin’s decided to partner with us for this year’s garage sale and we are incredibly grateful to them and for all that they do for us and the community,” Kathy Dewitt, Director of Community Engagement said. “I have known Donna for many years and this touched my heart.”

The parking lot of Flanagin’s Bulk Mail filled quickly with cars, trucks, and SUVs, and people climbed out and began to peruse the large selection of goods including furniture, clothes, collectibles, dishware, and other knick-knacks. Volunteers from Dayspring and Flanagin’s assisted shoppers with their purchases, making things run smoothly.

People travel from far and wide to be part of the garage sale as shoppers and as volunteers. Cara Olson (Carver), a family friend to the Flanagins, comes to help with the garage sale each year all the way from Indianapolis.

“I really like giving back to the community and I’m originally from Valpo so this is near and dear to my heart,” she said. “I’m a licensed clinical social worker so I’ve worked in different areas and ways with organizations like this so this is another way I can give back.”

The Garage Sale runs July 24-25, 2015 from 9am to 5pm each day. There is still time to make it out there and find some treasures!