STAR, Idaho (CBS 2) — This Pay It Forward goes to Melody's community garage sale.
Each month, Melody Tautolo collects donations, picks a family in Star to help, and then holds a garage sale to benefit that family.
Even though the sale is just once a month, managing the mountain of donations is a full-time job for which Melody takes no salary. Donated items now fill her 3-car garage, home office, and dining room, not to mention the large storage unit they’ve had to rent for the overflow.
Still, it is hard to argue with their success. In just the first four months, they've raised a total of $11,000 for four families.
The first two garage sales were held in the Tautolo’s neighborhood. While successful, they overwhelmed both the family and their neighbors. So, in May, the community garage sale relocated to a new home in the parking lot of the Life Spring Church on Star Road.
On the first day of the monthly sale, Melody and her volunteers arrive at 6:00 am to empty a moving truck full of donations, set up the tables, and organize displays.
“We have a lot of volunteers,” Melody explained. “It's amazing.” She needs every one of those volunteers to get everything ready before the bargain hunters start showing up before 8:00.
What those bargain hunters discover is a half dozen tables filled with knickknacks, as well as ranks of clothing, much of it for 25 cents, shelves of books, boxes of DVDs, games, area rugs, dishes and so much more. All at garage sale prices.
Well, almost all. There are a few exceptions. Some expensive items were raffled off to generate more money for the family. Melody showed me a Dooney & Burke purse, “Very expensive. Name brand. Got to save a few paychecks to buy it!” But a lucky someone got it for a $5 raffle ticket.
Donations to Melody’s cause have come from well over a hundred Star families and counting.
The monthly sales take up two days, Friday and Saturday, with hours each day from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
At the final tally, the June event took in more than $3,000. Not bad. After getting reimbursed for the rental of the moving truck and storage unit, Melody gave the balance to the family of a 15-year-old boy who is in a coma after an accident in a motocross race.
One of her volunteers told me, “I feel good helping other people. I think more people should do it!”
We couldn’t agree more. That’s why Mountain America Credit Union chipped in a $500 Pay It Forward.
Do you know someone, like Melody, who’s making our Treasure Valley a better place? Click here to nominate them for a MACU Pay It Forward!
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