Meeting
does Outreach at the TownTalk
Tailgate
Sale in Lima, PA
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Although the weather had been cloudy and rainy all
week, Friends at Middletown responded brightly to the task of setting up
for and participating in our first tailgate outreach event at the local
Penn State campus parking lot. This annual event is run by the TownTalk
weekly newspaper and is open to anyone who pays the $20 fee and wishes
to sell just about anything that can be hauled in on 4 wheels. |
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Over the summer Chris Stern felt that we should participate
and use the event to make people aware of our Meeting. Chris is part of
the Outreach Committee. The other members, Rich Ailes, Mark Cary, Mary
Francis Moehlman and Thomas Swain, agreed that it would be worthwhile and
in August, the committee started asking members and attenders to bring
in their treasures that were squirreled away in attics and basements. |
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Last week, Thomas Swain, Jane Mack and Joan Erickson
went over dozens of offerings left in the schoolhouse and priced each object.
Mary Frances produced 2 pieces of outreach literature even while recovering
from knee surgery, Joe Stratton lent a canopy, and the outreach crew and
Kent Erickson loaded up trucks and set up the tables at the tailgate the
morning of the event. Thomas Swain let us use his van upon which we draped
the Meeting's 350th anniversary banner. |
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It all came together quite easily the day of the event.
Staffing was provided by Joan and Kent Erickson, Mark Cary, Rich Ailes,
Chris Stern and Shirley Dodson. |
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Shirley showed some deft salesmanship
by marking up candlestick holders that had not sold all day which sold
shortly after the markup. She also managed to sell 2 sets of cross country
skis along with poles and ski boots (that really fit the buyer). Joan
Erickson turned out to be the closet "flea market queen", impressing
everyone with her stamina and sense of organization. |
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Evangelical ministry was provided
by Chris who seemed a natural as he hawked our outreach literature by
calling out to passers by with statements like "Come visit the Quakers without the oats!" and "Middletown
Quakers, been here for over 350 years and still kicking!" Remarkably
he gave out a number of pieces of literature. Later Chris remarked that
this was an ideal venue for outreach because folks passing by were in
a leisurely mood, different from street pedestrians who normally don't
want to be stopped. |
| The event took in over $260 but more than the money, it gave
all of us who participated a warm sense of cooperation and let many people
know that the Quakers without the oats are alive and kicking! Not quite the
stuff of the first Apostles but a real blessing none the less. |
