It’s just about that time of year to dust off those old skis and boots and hit the slopes.
The Winter Olympics are a mere few months away and you never know when the call will come in for you to fill that empty roster spot on the U.S. Ski Team.
Wait, what’s that you say? You are bored with what you have and are in serious need of an upgrade for the 2014 season? We hear you. There is nothing worse than showing up at the old mountain with the same gear as last year.
And in the holiday spirit of giving, we have a great idea to share with you. On Saturday, make your way over to the Green Street Community Center for the Capital Ski and Outing Club’s Annual Ski and Skate Sale. You won’t be disappointed.
The yearly event, held 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. has everything the winter athlete will need. Well maybe not everything, but there will be a lot. Looking for a new set of cross-country skis? The sale will have it. How about a snowboard or new pair of skates? The ski and outing club has got you covered. What about a jacket, bag or helmet? Hopefully you see where I’m going with this and don’t really need an answer, but if so, yes, those items will be there as well.
For the last 29 years, Bill Mitchell, president of the Capital Ski and Outing Club, has been the ringleader of the sale. He organizes the use of the community center, gathers all the dealers and coordinates volunteers to help. And all of that’s before the club takes over the community center the Wednesday prior to the sale.
“There’s a lot that goes into it,” said Mitchell.
The preparations for the actual sale begin tomorrow when they set up the ski racks. On Thursday, the tables show up, as does the merchandise from all the dealers and beginning at 4:30 p.m., the public can begin dropping off items they wish to sell. Inpiduals may also bring stuff in all day on Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“The sale itself over the last 10 years has been very successful,” said Mitchell. “We have some dealers that sell over $20,000 worth of equipment.”
There are new items that did not sell last year that dealers want to get rid of in order to make room for new stuff. Slightly used equipment is also part of the sale, but Mitchell has strict guidelines as to what can be placed among the items.
“We get a nice mix of great equipment,” said Mitchell. “We have a little bit of everything in there.”
All the items collected are cataloged, so when they are sold, Mitchell and his team knows exactly where the money goes. For each item bought, 80 percent goes to the dealer or inpidual who supplied it and the other 20 percent goes to the ski and outing club. Last year, the sale brought in a total of about $100,000, and for those who don’t want to break out the calculator, roughly $20,000 (minus the costs associated to run the event) went to the club for its charitable endeavors.
“Our goal is to try to promote and support sports,” said Mitchell.
In keeping with the tradition of the event, which began well before Mitchell took over, the club has a volunteer sale on Friday night after all the merchandise is inventoried. It is one way of saying thanks for all the help.
And when Mitchell arrives at the Green St. Community Center at 7 a.m. this Saturday, it is all but a guarantee that there will be a long line waiting at the door. And most people in that line are return customers.
“We have people that have been coming year after year and they know exactly where to go to get what they want,” said Mitchell.
It will surely be a little hectic come this Saturday and that is why there will be five cash registers set up to help meet the demand. The more money that is brought in, the more the club can hand out. In recent years, the club has been a big supporter of local school athletic programs, such as ski and crew teams.
“It’s an event that works out for everyone,” said Mitchell.
So if you need some new stuff to make the winter a little more manageable, you know where to go. And get there early because stuff will be flying off the racks just as fast as you intend to get down your next mountain.
