When the Minks to Sinks Fall Sale opens this Saturday, Oct. 4 at 9 a.m. at the intersection of Rte. 7 and School Rd., it will be the result of hours of work by the more than 190 volunteers who help unload, sort, price, organize and display the thousands of items that have been donated or consigned for the sale.
Andress Pettibone, who shares the 2014 Minks to Sinks co-chair role with Katy Williams, marvels at how smoothly the pre-sale process runs, despite any wrench Mother Nature tries to throw into the works.
“No matter what the weather, all the volunteers are so helpful; everyone just rolls up their sleeves and does whatever it takes to get us ready for the sale. Many of these women have been volunteering at Minks to Sinks for years, and now their daughters and nieces are volunteers here too.”
Pettibone herself got involved in Minks to Sinks through a family member. “My husband’s aunt volunteered here, and the first year we moved to Wilton, I brought my family shopping at the Minks Fall sale. By the next spring, I had signed up to be volunteer for the spring sale,” she laughs.
Minks to Sinks has become an institution not just for residents of Fairfield County, but also for people who live as far away as Massachusetts and make the semi-annual trek here to shop for deals on everything from kitchen and household items, to gardening and sports equipment, furniture, kids toys, electronics, lamps, artwork, seasonal clothing and more, including minks and sinks. They know this event offers treasures and bargains on items for the entire family. Antique dealers also frequent the sale, which can be a great source for desirable collectible items.
The proceeds of Minks to Sinks benefit Family and Children’s Agency, the Norwalk-based non-profit organization that offers many important programs to help families in need.
Pettibone (pictured above, far right) also points out that Minks to Sinks supports recycling and reusing, and has been doing so for years before the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle” became an environmental mantra.
“I love that my kids not only see me volunteer, but every year we take items they no longer use – some of which we bought at Minks to Sinks the year before – and bring them to the sale; my kids understand that this enables someone else to use and enjoy them.”
The Minks to Sinks Fall sale opens at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4. Bargain days are Sunday, Oct. 5 from noon-4 p.m. and Monday, Oct. 6 from 9 a.m.–noon. For more information and directions, please visit the Minks to Sinks website.