1st Annual REMCU Flea Market in Review !

1st Annual REMCU Flea Market Summary:
In the last couple of months an official club has formed at Schneider Electric calling themselves the "REMCU Supporters." They were instrumental in providing volunteer effort for the Gospel Choir benefit concert, and in their first attempt at a fund-raiser they ran with a benefit flea market - "Sell your Junk from your Trunk!"

Their plan was to "borrow" the Schneider Electric parking lot, and rent the parking spaces to folks with stuff to sell for those who do not want to go to the effort of running their own garage sale, or who live in an apartment and can not have a garage sale, etc.

For additional revenue the REMCU Supporters decided to run a concession, rent tables, and try to sell some donated books, old CRT computer monitors, and fresh Level Ground coffee from the fair trade coffee organization.

The REMCU directors decided this might be a great opportunity to demonstrate radio email to the public too.

Great effort was made to advertise the sale. Flyers were put up around the three closest communities (Keating, Brentwood Bay , Central Saanich ), email chains started, ads put in the local paper and the three most popular free ad web sites, and even the very popular local radio announcer, Ed Bain of 100.3 The Q, agreed to spread the word.

Unfortunately, the weather forecasters kept changing their minds on what Saturday April 19 would be like, and then it SNOWED!! In Victoria , in April, it snowed. Well, we had to postpone. So volunteers went around all three communities and updated the flyers, called The Q and got the word out again.

Saturday April 26th was beautiful, warm and sunny! We had a few less sellers than originally scheduled, but the buyers kept coming and coming. Buyers, sellers and volunteers alike had a great time.

The food concession was the big money maker (~$325), followed by stall/table rentals (~$275), and books (~$100). On the flip side, nobody wanted a CRT (not a shock), and Level Ground coffee did not sell well at all (a shock, 85 bags left over).

The live demonstration went well and many people emailed themselves over the radio waves from the Schneider parking lot. Donations related to the event are still coming in; more than $200 thus far.

REMCU really wants to thank everyone who came out - those who came to volunteer, sell, buy, and/or check out the demo. Special thanks to Schneider Electric for their continued support, and to The Q for helping to get the word out.

On a last note, we have lots of coffee for sale! If you would like to support us by buying some please email Trever.Blair@remcu.org and we can make arrangements to get you as much as you want! :)

Start planning now to "Sell your Junk from your Trunk" again next year!