FORT STEWART and HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, Ga. </B> Customers came in a steady stream and in large numbers, anxious to look through thousands of bargains on hundreds of tables at the Club Stewart and Hunter Credit Union parking lots and in housing areas of both posts, Oct. 24.
Response to the Great Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Yard Sale was enthusiastic and heavy, both on the vendor side and the customer side, said Randy Walker, one of the FMWR staffers on hand to ensure the popular event went off smoothly at Stewart.
"We had about 100 sales in housing areas and about 120 tables set up here at the Club Stewart parking lot," he said. "The vendors were out here really early and so were the bargain hunters... I believe it is because of the economy."
A steady rain late in the morning caused some Stewart vendors to close up early or set up temporary tents to protect their sale items. The sale ran from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.
At Hunter, the weather was ideal, except for a light rain shower during the last hour. More than 40 sellers set up in the Hunter Credit Union parking lot and a number conducted sales from their homes.
"Everyone was very appreciative to FMWR for holding this event, and they were happy to have the opportunity to make some extra cash and get rid of some items they no longer needed," said Eli Wilson, a member of the Hunter sale's FMWR staff. "The event was a success. This was by far the best turnout since I've been at Hunter."
Tiffany Bunn, wife of Cpl. Matthew Bunn of the 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, found a bassinette at the Stewart sale for the child she is expecting in January. Her shopping companion, Joanna VanBelkum, wife of Sgt. Jason VanBelkum of 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, was hoping to find a stroller.
Members of the local chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority staffed a table at the Club Stewart parking lot. Sergeant First Class Rhonda Lawson, local president, and former Soldier Debra Booker, treasurer, said they had constant business.
"We wanted to have a yard sale to raise money for our sorority scholarship fund," Sgt. 1st Class Lawson said. "The money we raise today will go toward a scholarship we will be giving away in 2010. We've had steady traffic all morning long."
Among the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority's satisfied customers were Jim and Lil Dozier of Midway, who were delighted to find an automatic coffee maker for $5.
Captain Jeff Shelnutt of the 3rd Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, and his wife, Karyn, just had a son, Jackson, now three months old. They set up a stand at the Club Stewart lot.
"We had a ton of maternity clothes and some clothes the baby has outgrown that we are selling," Capt. Shelnutt said. "We're also selling some things that we no longer have any use for."
Carla Macdonald, wife of Staff Sgt. Logan Macdonald and a Family Readiness Group leader, was a part of what she described as a "multi-Family sale of various members of our battalion (4-3 BSTB)."
She said the group wanted to "clear out our garages, clear out our attics, clear out underneath our cabinets and make a little bit of money to put away for an emergency."
The sale was held at the Coastal Ridge home of Lt. Col. George Lewis, battalion commander.
"We've had a steady stream of traffic, more than 100 people," said Michele Lewis, wife of the commander. "Even before the sale started, there were people out driving by, looking," she said.
For 1st Lt. Robert Cowan of the 135th Quartermaster Company and his wife, Heather, success in a previous FMWR yard sale prompted them to hold another.
"It was such a huge success, and this is such a great, community-wide event, that we wanted to do it again this year," 1st Lt. Cowan said.
Heather Cowan said sales were good and setting up for the sale "was worth it." Their sale was held at Marne Homes.
Goodwill provided trucks at Stewart and Hunter to receive donations as soon as the sales ended.
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