Thirty-six years ago when the Statesboro Service League hosted its first Attic Sale at the Bowen Furniture Store building, its members looked for the perfect woman to serve as Attic Sale chairman.
“The League knew that my friend Dottie Daniel Blitch and I often held rummage sales on weekends at Vine Street's parking lot next to Vandy's,” Bonnie Grist said.
On one particular Saturday, Grist successfully sold one earring (not a pair) to a woman and convinced the shopper she could part her hair in such a way to wear her hair long on one side and prominently display the sole earring on the other. The shopper seemed pleased and Grist made the sale. With that type of persuasive prowess and salesmanship capabilities, Grist was unanimously chosen as chairman the first Attic Sale in 1973.
Now, almost four decades later, her daughter Mari Grist Hopkins is the chairman of the 2009 Attic Sale. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Hopkins leads the 105-member group at the Nov. 7 sale at the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fairgrounds. The sale raises funds for the Service League's community service projects.
Instead of mini fundraisers throughout the year, the Attic Sale is the League's one colossal fundraiser. The money collected at the annual garage sale flows back into the community to fund 10 service projects where each member volunteers for 36 hours a year.
“This equates to about $40,000 a year being raised plus over 3,000 hours of community service,” Hopkins said.
Traditionally, the League has focused on service projects that impact women and children.
“During the last nine years I have had the opportunity to serve on nearly every service project,” Hopkins said. “I've seen how these projects genuinely benefit many lives in this community so it's easy to volunteer in this capacity.”
The 35-year-old mother of three lights up as she recalls serving at Safe Haven, a shelter for battered women, where she helped plan several events including dance lessons with instructor Kitty Pruitt and a self defense class featuring Tae Kwon Do instructor Eddie Lott.
“These women have an inordinate amount of stress in their lives and often lack a family support system,” Hopkins said. “I felt like we made a difference because I witnessed time and time again a transformation in them for the hour or so we were with them each month and offered these social activities.”
Like her daughter, Grist has a special place in her heart for the Statesboro Regional Library, which was, in fact, the League's first service project.
“I spent many hours in the library helping catalogue books and assisting the librarians,” Grist said.
“She serves with an upbeat attitude and smile always and her daughters Mari and Bonnie serve the group with the same enthusiasm,” said fellow League member and neighbor Connie Averitt. “She is a friend to all and is willing to do anything and help anybody. I have watched her serve her church, the Botanical Gardens and Service League her entire life and her focus has always been a genuine interest in the well being of others.”
Grist and her daughter reminisced about funny tales of past Attic Sales. There was the time fleas infested a rug and the ladies had to strip out of their clothing to survive the flea bites. Or the year when the League did not take into consideration that day light savings time had been moved up a couple of weeks and customers shopped outside in the pitch black dark while Service Leaguers ran batteries and gas to light the sale, the four decades unfold to tell a greater story of giving.
“Our venues have changed over the years and the Attic Sale has constantly evolved, but the core motivation has remained the same - a group of women who really want to help those in need and consider it an honor to do so,” Hopkins said.
“The League knew that my friend Dottie Daniel Blitch and I often held rummage sales on weekends at Vine Street's parking lot next to Vandy's,” Bonnie Grist said.
On one particular Saturday, Grist successfully sold one earring (not a pair) to a woman and convinced the shopper she could part her hair in such a way to wear her hair long on one side and prominently display the sole earring on the other. The shopper seemed pleased and Grist made the sale. With that type of persuasive prowess and salesmanship capabilities, Grist was unanimously chosen as chairman the first Attic Sale in 1973.
Now, almost four decades later, her daughter Mari Grist Hopkins is the chairman of the 2009 Attic Sale. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Hopkins leads the 105-member group at the Nov. 7 sale at the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fairgrounds. The sale raises funds for the Service League's community service projects.
Instead of mini fundraisers throughout the year, the Attic Sale is the League's one colossal fundraiser. The money collected at the annual garage sale flows back into the community to fund 10 service projects where each member volunteers for 36 hours a year.
“This equates to about $40,000 a year being raised plus over 3,000 hours of community service,” Hopkins said.
Traditionally, the League has focused on service projects that impact women and children.
“During the last nine years I have had the opportunity to serve on nearly every service project,” Hopkins said. “I've seen how these projects genuinely benefit many lives in this community so it's easy to volunteer in this capacity.”
The 35-year-old mother of three lights up as she recalls serving at Safe Haven, a shelter for battered women, where she helped plan several events including dance lessons with instructor Kitty Pruitt and a self defense class featuring Tae Kwon Do instructor Eddie Lott.
“These women have an inordinate amount of stress in their lives and often lack a family support system,” Hopkins said. “I felt like we made a difference because I witnessed time and time again a transformation in them for the hour or so we were with them each month and offered these social activities.”
Like her daughter, Grist has a special place in her heart for the Statesboro Regional Library, which was, in fact, the League's first service project.
“I spent many hours in the library helping catalogue books and assisting the librarians,” Grist said.
“She serves with an upbeat attitude and smile always and her daughters Mari and Bonnie serve the group with the same enthusiasm,” said fellow League member and neighbor Connie Averitt. “She is a friend to all and is willing to do anything and help anybody. I have watched her serve her church, the Botanical Gardens and Service League her entire life and her focus has always been a genuine interest in the well being of others.”
Grist and her daughter reminisced about funny tales of past Attic Sales. There was the time fleas infested a rug and the ladies had to strip out of their clothing to survive the flea bites. Or the year when the League did not take into consideration that day light savings time had been moved up a couple of weeks and customers shopped outside in the pitch black dark while Service Leaguers ran batteries and gas to light the sale, the four decades unfold to tell a greater story of giving.
“Our venues have changed over the years and the Attic Sale has constantly evolved, but the core motivation has remained the same - a group of women who really want to help those in need and consider it an honor to do so,” Hopkins said.