Flea Market Update
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, we have no choice but to cancel the St. Mary Flea Market scheduled for July. We know this is a disappointment to many of our workers, customers, and those of you who have spent the quarantine cleaning out your closets, drawers, and basements. In addition, the Flea Market is a large source of income to the Parish which has already had to cancel many other fundraisers.
We are currently exploring the idea of a “virtual” flea market using social media to sell donated items. This will not produce the usual income of the Flea Market as we will only be able to accept items that we can sell on internet sites and not be able to accept some of the smaller items such as plastics, glassware, knick-knacks, linens, mugs or other small items but it will provide some much-needed revenue to St. Mary Parish on an ongoing basis.
Our main issue is we need someplace to store the donations. Do you have a large garage, barn, or storage shed you could lend us for a couple of months? We promise to be out of it by next summer and we will leave it in better shape than we found it! Please call either Theresa Benedek at 412-486-4787 or Kate DiGirolamo at 412-901-8081 if you can help us. We are excited about the opportunity to offer a virtual St. Mary of the Assumption Flea Market in 2020!
The flea market and festival have been rescheduled for August 24-29, 2020. Stay tuned for more updates on the premarket and more.
The St. Mary of the Assumption Flea Market made $30,000.00 – a new record!! Wow! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the volunteers and parishioners who donated goods and time to the St. Mary’s Flea Market. We had over 100 volunteers who worked tirelessly to make the Flea Market a success. We can’t say enough about our outstanding teenage volunteers. They represented our Church by assisting customers in a careful and cheerful way that is a credit to their upbringing and our Church community. Our parish bakers did a wonderful job of keeping us supplied with cookies and Bake Sale items. A big thank you to them as well! Our volunteers are the backbone of the Flea Market and we are so very grateful and proud of them.
A special thank you to our corporate donors: Kohl’s sent five workers and made a $500 donation, Kuhns donated the hot dog buns, Giant Eagle gave us a deal on donuts, and Vera Bradley donated a $200 ensemble which was won by Judy Daw.
Unsold goods were donated to the following charities:
1. The St. Vincent De Paul Society
2. Goodwill, Cancer Research and Vietnam Veterans
3. Books, bibles, assorted inspirational prayer books and devotionals went to the Chaplain’s Office at the Allegheny County Jail.
4. Genesis took the remaining baby furniture, supplies, children’s books and toys to assist women in crisis pregnancies.
5. Unsold purses, jewelry and other items went to the Repurposed Store that supports female trafficking victims.
6. Blankets, backpacks and gym bags were donated to Heil Homeless Ministry.
7. Towels were sent to New Kensington Animal Protectors that performs pro-bono surgery on rescued animals, so the animals have a soft place to recover.
8. Medical supplies were donated to Brothers Brother Foundation.
9. We supplied bingo gifts and craft materials to Vincentian and Rebecca Concordia. Additional items went to St. Mary CCD dollar sale.
10. Glenshaw Century Club received bud vases to take flowers to hospital patients.
11. Miscellaneous items were donated to the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse.
12. 1st Tee received golf clubs to be used for children’s golf programs.
13. Days for Girls took fabrics and other items to send to Third World Women’s Groups.
14. Yarn, needlepoint and other craft materials went to the Women’s Sewing Group at the Methodist Church in Appalachia that provides shelter for our Appalachia workers each June.
15. Leftover books went to the Shaler Library for their semi-annual book sale.
16. Blessing Board of Oakmont took household goods to assist patrons in need.
17. Eyeglasses were donated to the Lion’s Club.
Good work, St. Mary’s. You amaze us every year. Thank you!
Thank you for supporting the flea market this year!! We will see you again in 2020.