Hubbardston senior center outlines yard‑sale plan, asks for volunteers and equipment

The Town of Hubbardston Council on Aging on May 21 discussed detailed logistics for its upcoming yard sale, agreeing to set up tents and tables midweek before the event, assign people to money and table duties during the sale and stage a Sunday afternoon cleanup.

The discussion focused on how to stage and staff the multi‑day sale and on resources needed: tents and tables, a dumpster for discards, volunteers for setup and breakdown, food for volunteers, and arrangements to move heavy or bulk items. Board members planned to begin putting up tents and moving tables on Wednesday before the sale (weather permitting), with additional setup work starting Tuesday if conditions allow.

Why it matters: the yard sale is both an outreach and fundraising effort for the senior center; the success of the event depends on volunteers, clear shift assignments and timely setup so vendors and shoppers can find merchandise and the boutique area.

Board members assigned specific tasks and tentative shifts. Secretary Mel Shaughnessy and Bev were paired to manage cash collection; other board members and volunteers were slotted to staff tables, run the boutique and monitor parking. The board asked for youths and high‑school volunteers to help move boxes and set tables after school and suggested guidelines for volunteers (modest dress, minimal phone use) when recruiting students.

Logistics and supplies discussed included: - Tents and pop‑ups: plan to start setting them up on Wednesday (and Tuesday if weather allows) so the site is ready before high traffic on Friday–Sunday. - Tables and storage: several members said many of the center’s outdoor tables are stored under the library or borrowed by art groups; volunteers were asked to retrieve and return them. - Dumpster: the board agreed a dumpster should be ordered; members discussed vendors and noted prior costs ranging widely. They asked members to check for lower bids and availability. - Heavy/metal items and recycling: the board discussed options for disposing or selling scrap metal and a portable air compressor donation; some members volunteered to ask local contacts about scrap dealers who might pick up heavy items. - Food for volunteers: members agreed on pizza for one night (Friday) and sandwiches/salads for subsequent shifts; ice cream delivery was scheduled to arrive the day before the sale and members agreed to coordinate receipt and freezer space. - Volunteer shifts: the board requested help for tent/table setup Wednesday, for box unloading Thursday and Friday, and for a Sunday cleanup starting around 2 p.m. (actual times may change for weather and traffic).

Smaller operational details were confirmed: signage to direct buyers to the boutique area, a rack or display to highlight boutique clothing, and the request that sellers avoid donating large electronics or oversized furniture. Members also discussed trash pickup cadence and asked one another to compare quotes for dumpster rental and recycling pickup.

The meeting closed planning items by confirming assignments and asking members to circulate an email reminder so volunteers would not forget setup dates.

Ending: The council left final vendor selections and dumpster ordering to individual board members to confirm before the next meeting; members planned to reconvene with updates on volunteers, dumpster pricing and a finalized setup schedule.