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Date: 8/24/2022
MONSON – On Sept. 3, the Town Wide Tag Sale put on by the First Church of Monson will return for its 22nd year.
Beginning at 8 a.m., guidebooks or “booklets” for the tag sale will be sold at three different locations across town. The locations include the First Church of Monson, 5 High St.; Triune Wellness, 59 Main St.; and Memorial Hall, 198 Main St.
Lee Brahen, office manager of the First Church, explained that they have divided the town into five sectors. In the booklets, people can view the tag sale sites in each sector. Additionally, there will be a brief description of what each residence has to offer.
Typically, Brahen said over 100 Monson residents register to be a part of the tag sale. On the day of the event, those registered will receive a sign with a star to assist people in finding their property. Brahen noted that they only have 100 signs. If registration goes over 100, late registrants will not receive a sign, though their address and item descriptions will be published in the booklets.
At press time, Brahen said about 30 people had registered their sites, although she predicted that the number would increase rapidly over the coming weeks. Site registration was slated to close on Aug. 24.
Brahen told Reminder Publishing that participants are allowed to run their tag sales for as long as they want – there is no set time to shut down. She went on to say that the event always takes place the first weekend of September, as it is the weekend before the Brimfield Antique Show/Flea Market. By doing this, she said they can attract a “maximum [amount of] people.”
Although this event has occurred for over two decades, the First Church has only been running it for five years. Brahen shared that the tag sale is a “major fundraising” event for them year after year.
In the parking lot of the church, Brahen said there will be a food court from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fare includes hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, water and more. She noted that Adams Supermarket is providing the meat and will do all the cooking.
In addition to the sites across town, the church parking lot will also have 10-foot by 10-foot sites set up. Brahen explained that these sites are primarily for people who live in an apartment or housing complex and are unable to host the tag sale from their residence.
Brahen recognized her “cohorts in the project:” Susan Kelly, Laurie Clarke and Caroline Horacek. With the help of her “tag sale team,” she said this event is made possible.