A resident browses separated tables at a yard sale in Green Pastures Thursday morning. The neighborhood held their annual community yard sale last weekend and saw some visitors following health department guidelines and some not. (Journal-Tribune photo by Michael Williamson)
Summer yard sales adjust to new safeguards
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to effect businesses and public gatherings around the state. But with guidelines in place, residents came out in full force for Green Pastures’ annual community sale last weekend.
One resident said Friday’s sale had her street looking like “Beggars Night.”
“It was an excellent turnout this year,” said Marion Hyland, a Green Pastures resident. “There was maybe more this year than ever.”
Hyland said she tried to observe recommendations from the health department by spreading tables out, keeping distance from potential buyers and keeping hand sanitizer on tables.
“My tables were spread out on the driveway but I mostly stayed in the garage with a mask on,” Hyland said. “I’d say it was about 50-50, those who wore masks and those who didn’t.”
She said from her observation most of the visitors wearing masks were people 50 and older, though there was “certainly a mixture,” she said.
Pat Sallee, another Green Pastures resident, agreed, saying this year was “very successful.”
“I think people were just ready to get out of their houses; get out of being locked down,” Sallee said. “We had a great turnout, especially Friday.”
“Friday was beautiful. That was the day that definitely had more traffic, but both days really were great,” Sallee said. She saw residents coming out in the early hours of Saturday morning as a patch of rain passed through the county. “It didn’t last long and people were out anyway.”
Sallee said she also followed guidelines ahead of the sale by posting a sign to social distance on her table and offered hand sanitizer, gloves and disinfectant wipes.
“We had a few groups of people but people seemed to be mindful of the sign,” Sallee said. “Some wore masks and some didn’t. But overall it was a pleasant experience. People treated it like normal outing.”
Jennifer Thrush, public information officer for the Union County Health Department, said there are recommendations at the state level for residents to follow if they plan to take part in summer yard sales.
“There are the typical guidelines of social distancing and keeping tables sanitized,” Thrush said. “The guidelines we have are strongly recommended for both those attending these sales and putting them on.”
A checklist from the Ohio Department of Health details several recommendations to keep in mind:
Place posters encouraging social distancing for customers to see upon arrival and while shopping.
Set up tables and chairs six feet apart.
Use heavy-duty duct tape to form a flow for customers to follow throughout the sale.
Ask customers to stand in line while spread apart during high traffic times.
The list also asks sellers to be mindful of the sanitations of merchandise:
Make sure all merchandise is washed and dried and/or wiped down with a disinfectant product before placing on a table or chair for sale.
Wipe down all tables and chairs using disinfectant at the end of the day or in the morning before the next day of the sale starts.
The health department also recommends masks and gloves be worn at all times during the sale and recommends residents use sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol.
Community-wide yard sales in Mill Valley and Green Pastures, advertised in the Journal-Tribune classifieds, were done over the last two weekends and Richwood’s sale is planned for July.
Answers to questions regarding the coronavirus are available at coronavirus.ohio.gov or by calling 1-833-427-5634.