The United Methodist Children’s Home has announced its summer flea market for July 14-15, the final one ever on its longtime campus just outside Decatur.
For decades the market has been the Home’s biggest fund-raising event, a single weekend netting anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000. It’s traditionally held three weekends a year, in April, July and October.
The flea market has its origins in the United Methodist Children’s Home Auxiliary, founded in 1940. Today the Auxiliary’s comprised of 200 volunteers who organize and run the event.
Items for sale include furniture, electronics, clothing, art, collectables, jewelry, toys, CDs, books, glassware, flatware, appliances, decorative items, sporting goods and plants from UMCH’s gardeners, spread over 15,000 square feet in three buildings.
In April Decatur put a contract for $40 million on the Home’s 77 acres, and is scheduled to close around mid August. The UMCH with its 80 residents and 60 employees will vacate by the end of September. Founded in 1871 as a home for Civil War orphans, the Home moved to its present site in 1873.
John Cerniglia, UMCH vice president for development, said that it’s still undetermined where it’s moving, though it almost certainly will be in DeKalb County. The organization is seeking a leasing arrangement in an office complex, where possibly all its operations including the flea market are housed in a single building.
Cerniglia added the next flea market date is unknown though it will be sometime in the fall.
The summer market is Friday/Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at 500 South Columbia Drive.
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