Ready to rummage?

With less than a week to go before the Oasis Senior Center’s annual

rummage sale, volunteers have been working hard to sort, price and

organize the thousands of donated items to be sold during the event.

Newport Beach resident Lutie Lindeman, who’s organizing the sale

for the first time, said about 100 volunteers are donating their time

to help prepare the sale.

“Everybody seems to pitch in and help out,” Lindeman said.

The rummage sale, which is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept.

30 and Oct. 1, will feature furniture, kitchenware, appliances,

clothing, jewelry, books, records, toys, games and more.

Pat Jones of Newport Beach, who has chaired or co-chaired the

event for the past 15 years, said the volunteers sort items into 33

categories and then price them accordingly. Anything that does not

fall into one of the categories, such as knick-knacks and boutique

items, is priced individually.

“It works really smooth, but it’s a lot of work,” Jones said.

Once the items are sorted and priced, they are moved into two

large storage bins in the center’s parking lot to make room for more

donations.

The rummage sale is the center’s largest fundraiser. In past

years, it has raised between $20,000 and $25,000, which goes toward

the various programs and services offered to seniors at the center.

Len Edwards, a member of the Oasis Senior Center’s board of

directors, said the center offers more than 90 programs, including

aerobics, yoga, computer, language and arts classes, and a number of

seminars on senior-related issues.

“A lot of people don’t realize what the Oasis is and what we’re

all about,” Edwards said. “We’re here to offer these programs.”

Edwards and his wife have been volunteering to get things ready

for the sale.

“I’m in charge of the men’s clothing and my wife’s in charge of

the women’s clothing,” Edwards said.

He is also helping move the items from the room where they are

priced to the storage bins.

Jones said a lot of the members on the board of directors and

their spouses are helping out this year. She credits Ed Romeo,

president of the Friends of Oasis -- the center’s fundraising arm and

organizer of the rummage sale -- with getting so many volunteers.

“Ed is such a sweetheart,” she said. “He can talk anybody into

doing anything.”

Edwards said next Thursday will be the busiest day for all the

volunteers, as they have to move everything back out of storage and

put them on display in the center’s multi-purpose room.

“It’s amazing,” Edwards said of the sale’s attendance numbers in

past years. “Eight o’ clock Friday morning, they’re lined up almost

around the block.”

Lindeman, who also volunteered during last year’s sale, said it’s

interesting to see the number of young people who attend the event.

She said she helped a college student get everything he needed to

furnish his apartment, from bedding to dishes to furniture.

IF YOU GO:

* WHAT: Oasis Senior Center

annual rummage sale

* WHEN: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 30 and Oct. 1

* WHERE: 800 Marguerite Ave., Corona del Mar

* COST: $3 on Friday and free on Saturday

* INFORMATION: (949) 644-3244

* LINDSAY SANDHAM is the news assistant. She can be reached at

(714) 966-4625 or [email protected].