A group of dedicated moms has come up with a plan to help New Westminster Family Place.
A Sept. 29 garage sale will raise funds for the nonprofit society that provides a resource program for families with children from newborn to age five.
"We have a dedicated, wonderful group of moms who wanted to help us with our financial burden," said executive director Marjorie Staal. "They have come up with the idea of having a garage sale, with all of the proceeds going to Family Place. It is truly a garage sale because it is in our garage."
The fundraiser is being held on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 93 Sixth St. Kids clothes and toys, books for people of all ages and household items will be among the items for sales.
"One of the friends of Family Place has hooked rugs for us to sell," Staal added. "We have about 25 beautiful, small hooked rugs."
New Westminster Family Place is also grateful to Queensborough Storage, which has donated a locker where it can store donations for the garage sale.
Family Place hasn't determined the specific use of the funds that will be raised at the garage sale.
"They don't care where the money goes as long as it helps us," she said of parents who spearheaded the fundraiser. "I am looking to them to see what they want. We are taking a wait-and-see attitude."
Members of the New Westminster Lions Club will be on hand barbecuing hotdogs.
New Westminster Family Place offers a drop-in at its main office at 93 Sixth St. Monday to Saturday from 9: 30 to 11 a.m., and on Monday and Tuesday from 1 to 3 p.m. Kids aged five and under can play with toys and games, do puzzles and crafts and enjoy a snack in the playroom that's staffed by early childhood educators.
The group's newest offering is a drop-in program taking place in a portable at Lord Kelvin Elementary School on Thursdays and Fridays from 9: 30 to 11: 30 a.m. It replaces drop-ins that had been provided last year at an office on 12th Street and at F.W. Howay Elementary School.
"Please join us at our new site," Staal suggested. "It's a wonderful partnership with the school district. It is an honour for us to do this."
Family Place also provides a drop-in at the Hospitality Project at Shiloh-Sixth Avenue United Church on Tuesdays and Wednesday.
