Making a Difference For Nearly a Century
Every year, on a weekend in early July, The Benevolent Society (TBS) holds its White Elephant Sale (WES) on the grounds of the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme. It’s a huge fundraiser that grows in size every year, allowing TBS to fund more than 25 nonprofit organizations across our region and around the world.
The popular annual sale began in 1936, and While there are other garage and rummage sales held by other organizations throughout the year, few can match the size, camaraderie, and excitement of this one. Residents and visitors will often plan their summer vacations around it.
Area residents donate antiques, art, books, bikes, canoes, clothing, collectibles, kayaks, kitchenware, shoes, ski equipment, tools, toys and so much more, while nearly 200 volunteers sign up to help collect, sort, price, organize, and sell the various donated items displayed during the spectacular two-day sale.
A History of Care and Community Connection
How It All Works
The sale itself takes place both inside and outside the church, typically covering the entire church grounds. On the Friday morning of the sale, a crowd will gather early outside the ropes surrounding the church, waiting for the clock in the bell tower to strike nine. When it does, the ropes come down and shoppers head for their favorite sale departments in search of hidden treasures.
On Saturday morning, the sale continues – and most everything is half off!
There are coffee and doughnuts available for sale both days and on Friday, the food court is open for lunch, featuring hot dogs, chili, homemade salads and desserts to help keep shoppers refreshed.
After the sale, Goodwill Industries and other organizations pick up any unsold items to help make sure nothing is wasted.
Donations are typically collected for two weeks before the sale. If you would like to donate items to the WES, please review our intake list below, which outlines the items we do and don’t accept. Donations are accepted on specific days before the sale – please call the church office in June at 860-434-8686, select option 5, leave your name and phone number for more info.
Volunteers are needed and welcomed (and for many of the volunteers it’s one of the highlights of their year). Along with helping prepare the items for the sale, volunteers sell coffee and doughnuts both days (all proceeds go directly to our sponsored charities). If you would like to volunteer, please call the church office in June at 860-434-8686, select option 5, leave your name and phone number.
What To Donate
When it comes time to consider your donations to the WES, we ask that you look for quality items you imagine others would like to buy. We only have nine hours over two days to sort and sell items, so your help narrowing it down to the most sellable goods is very appreciated!
Please bring any non-furniture items by the church anytime during the four days we set aside to receive donations before each year’s annual sale. We will announce the intake days and hours when we announce the dates of the next sale. We cannot accept early donations.
We are limiting the amount of large furniture that we will accept at this time. We’re currently unable to offer pickup service —donated furniture must be dropped off onsite. If you do have a large piece to donate, please call the office at 860-434-8686 before bringing it to the church. Wait for the voicemail and press 8 to leave a message on the WES voicemail box describing your piece. We’ll call you back to let you know if we can accept it.
