Document text
59 °F Forecast | Road Cams Monday, May 10, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend April 25, 2004 An old mailbox restored to resemble a covered wagon caught the interest of 3-year-old Ethan Page of Ashland during the fourth annual Restoration Fever sale, held Saturday at the Historic Ashland Armory. Mail Tribune / Andrew Mariman Bargain-hunters at the restoration Goodwill sale brings out the early birds, all looking to grab a deal among freshened items By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune Linda Hanby waited in line two-and-a-half hours Saturday morning to buy an old, wooden ladder. The Medford woman and her sister were among the first to arrive at the Historic Ashland Armory for Southern Oregon Goodwill’s Restoration Fever, a giant sale of once-battered items revamped by volunteers. Hanby and other serious shoppers had scoped out the roughly 400 items at a preview Friday night and were ready to move quickly on their finds when the doors opened at 9 a.m. Saturday. The first customer lined up at 6 a.m., organizers said. Hanby arrived about half an hour later and asked the other shopper what she wanted to buy. "No point in us both waiting that long for the same thing," Hanby said. The other woman had her eyes on another prize, so Hanby joined the wait. As the line grew, eager shoppers shared which treasures they hoped to snare when the sale opened. One elderly woman was unsure if she would be quick enough to get her quarry, so a man in line offered to help her, Hanby said. Advertisement "That was the most fun, creating momentary friendships and a team effort with people we didn’t know," Hanby said. "I would do it again just for the life experience." In addition to experience, the early birds all got what they sought, she said. Her haul included the rickety ladder transformed into a plant stand, a mop bucket, a child’s sled, a toy push car, and an egg carrier for fetching up to three dozen eggs from the henhouse. She packed them into her sister’s Cadillac, alongside a refinished sewing box and a bright red chair whose broken seat had been replaced with silk geraniums. "It’s just the creativity," Ashland shopper Cherie Garland said. "I choose to believe that’s our god-like ability — being creative." About 100 volunteers, employees and clients from Goodwill worked through the year to produce items for the fourth annual sale, said Goodwill Development Director Russ Levin. The sale is a major fund raiser for the nonprofit, work force development agency, which helps people with disabilities and families in transition from welfare to work, he said. Goodwill expected to raise $20,000 at Saturday’s event. "This was junk we couldn’t sell at the stores," Levin said. Some items were salvaged from a local landfill. Faux finishes, decorative painting, mosaics and fabric frills capped off basic repairs to transform junk into unique furnishings. "I like to take the old and make it new again," volunteer Terri Ainsworth said. She spotted the recycled arts and crafts fair on a Web site listing volunteer opportunities and thought it looked like fun. She enlisted her husband and son in creating nine large pieces for the sale — including a wicker topped table and a welded garden cart. "It’s so much fun," said volunteer Steve Martin, who finished 44 items for the sale. His team gathered at a Goodwill workshop on weekends. "I love the camaraderie. We’ll have lunch or doughnuts and coffee and tell silly jokes and sing." Amidst the sea of creatively remade goods, a rocking chair decorated with flowers caught Annie Hirt’s attention Friday evening. "I sat down in it and it rocked so well," said the Talent woman, who bought the rocker and a small table painted to match. Last year, she missed the preview — and missed out on the best buys — so this year she joined the serious shoppers on Friday. Organizers said some previewers toured with cell phones outfitted with cameras so they could share their finds. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times