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Burr Ridge rummage sale to support Trinity Lutheran youth trip
Charlotte Murphy goes through the aisles of donations that fill the gymnasium on Thursday. | Dan Luedert~Sun-Times Media
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WHAT: Trinity Lutheran Church Youth Group rummage sale
WHEN: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10; 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11
WHERE: Trinity Lutheran School, 11503 German Church Road, Burr Ridge
WHY: To raise money for the youth group’s 2013 gathering in San Antonio, Texas
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Updated: October 8, 2012 1:56AM
BURR RIDGE — Just a few weeks after Marissa Kopping and Tatiana Murphy returned from a week-long mission to Appalachia, the teens busily prepared for their next chance to serve.
“We’re going to the national youth gathering next year,” said Kopping, a Lyons Township High School sophomore and a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church Youth Group in Burr Ridge.
The national event is held every three years and brings Christian kids together for a week of inspiration, fellowship and worship. Next year’s gathering will be held in San Antonio, Texas.
“They come back spiritually inspired,” and ready to work even harder to serve their community, said Youth Group Director Rob Grady. But that inspiration comes at a cost.
To cut the cost of airfare, lodging and food, Trinity Lutheran has filled its school gymnasium with everything from sheets to ski poles, baskets to bread machines, for the youth group’s first rummage sale fundraiser.
Before they left for their trip last month, Kopping, Hinsdale South junior Murphy of Burr Ridge, and other youth group members scouted out merchandise by offering to take leftovers from area garage sales. The church also called on members, friends and neighbors to donate whatever they could spare.
Turns out, they could spare a lot.
“We have almost everything in here,” Grady said.
There are holiday decorations, clothing for every season and in every size, sporting goods, toys, small appliances and even furniture.
Grady brought the rummage sale idea from his church in Texas.
“It worked well,” he said.
The sale is set for 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 10, and from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at Trinity Lutheran School, 11503 German Church Road in Burr Ridge.
Kathy Fritschel, head of Trinity’s youth board, is in charge of pricing the thousands of items before the first customer arrives.
“Books are always big,” she said of the items she expects to go first.
Fritschel, affectionately known as Ma Fritschel to youth group members, has been a member of the Burr Ridge church for 50 years and is a former youth group member herself.
“The kids are the future of the church,” Fritschel said. “These kids have hearts of gold.”
From noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, shoppers can fill a paper bag with whatever they wish for a flat price of $6. Anything left after the sale closes will by recycled or donated, Grady said.
Coats and books are among the items offered to families at Trinity Lutheran’s Serving Clinic on Sept. 29. Also a first for the church, the clinic will offer necessary healthy, beauty and hygiene services to needy families.
“Nothing will go to waste,” Grady said.
