Big deals offered at Ladies Auxiliary annual flea market

By Audrey Levine Staff Writer
   HILLSBOROUGH — Area residents may find some good bargains for their holiday gift lists while helping a local fire company maintain its equipment at Saturday’s third annual semiannual flea market hosted by the Flagtown Volunteer Fire Company No. 1 Ladies Auxiliary.
   The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the municipal building multipurpose room, and will offer almost everything one expects at a flea market.
   ”It is a typical flea market with no crafts,” said Gail Fernicola, who organizes the event held in the spring and fall every year. “Everyone does very well.”
   Ms. Fernicola said the Ladies Auxiliary once tried to host the flea market in the summer months, but too many people were on vacation and turnout was not what she had expected.
   ”It was very rough then,” she said.
   This latest event will feature 30 vendors, many of whom, Ms. Fernicola said, have been part of the event in the past.
   ”We have many repeat vendors,” she said. “The vendors do well at the event and they’re happy.”
   According to Ms. Fernicola, vendors pay $20 to rent one table, or $35 to rent two. The money raised from renting the tables, in addition to selling refreshments throughout the day, goes to the fire company for materials and other necessities for the volunteers.
   ”Most people are not aware that this is a volunteer fire company,” she said. “This is a fundraiser for them.”
   Among the products that will be sold at the flea market this year, Ms. Fernicola said, are clothing, toys, household items and vintage materials. She said there will also be three new vendors selling Mary Kay products, jewelry and candles.
   Ms. Fernicola said there is always a very healthy turnout at the flea market, with people coming from all over town, and some even walking from their homes near the municipal building.
   ”People come because it’s indoors and a lot of them can walk to the event,” she said. “It is good for people who don’t drive.”
   In addition, Ms. Fernicola said, many people are attracted to the event because it is in the municipal building near the library, and they can do other things after they spend time shopping.
   ”And the multipurpose room is a big and comfortable space,” she said.
   Aside from the opportunity to make additional money for the fire company, Ms. Fernicola said she likes that she gets to meet people at the flea market, between the vendors who keep coming back to the residents who gather to see the different items being sold.
   ”The nicest thing about the event is meeting the people,” she said.
   The event serves as the main fundraiser for the fire company. In the past, she said, they have held a craft sale and a basket auction, but the flea market has been the only fundraiser on the schedule as of late. She said getting new members in the Ladies Auxiliary would help them plan more events.
   ”There are just a handful of people (who always participate),” she said. “We need members.”
   Still, Ms. Fernicola said, she is very happy with the flea market, and expects a large crowd at each event.
   ”We’ve gotten a lot of compliments on the event,” she said.
   For more information, contact Ms. Fernicola at 908-369-4811.