Tabor House Huge Tag Sale A Must Stop

There are no altruistic body parts this year, but lots of other stuff, aisles and aisles of stuff at the annual Tabor House Giant Tag Sale at the Convent of the Sisters of St. Joseph , 27 Park Road, West Hartford.

No grossness intended. It’s actually a happy story.

Among the hundreds who attended the opening night preview wine and cheese party was Rick Baruffi.

Last year, a chance discussion at the tag sale between Baruffi and tag sale co-organizer Loretta Dyson turned into a kidney donation.

“Loretta’s daughter, Laura, need a kidney and Loretta explained it all to me,” said Barfuffi who had just happened to stop at the tag sale and knew Loretta through church. “When she told me the story I offered to see if I could donate. And I did.”

So this year, during his stop at the sale, Baruffi kidded he had no tag sale body parts to offer.

That aside,  Dyson and her son, David, the power duo behind the event, did not disappoint those who come to what is billed as Connecticut’s largest tag sale.

“We still had plenty of donations, and good raffle items and it looks like a good opening night crowd,” said David Dyson, who with his mom, have won several awards for the fundraiser that benefits the nonprofit providing help to those with HIV/AIDS.

“I love this tag sale, I come every year and end up buying things I probably don’t need but don’t care,” said Alice Chamberlain, an Avon resident who had scored several pieces of Westmoreland milk glass, vintage costume jewelry and an oak wall mirror within 15 minutes of her arrival. “It’s for a good cause and who can resist a good tag sale and a good bargain?”

For West Hartford resident, Valentin Otazu, originally from Peru, the tag sale turned into a shopping trip for his mom.

“She will love this, it is just not something you will find in Peru,” he said about a brass vintage chandelier that he planned to give to her when she visits soon. “For a few dollars it will be a nice gift to her.”

A herd of volunteers were on site to help customers with purchases including a contingent from the university of Hartford women’s basket ball team.

“I haven’t had a chance to look yet but there is a lot of stuff here,” said forward/center Taylor Clark, who volunteered with teammates Christie Michals and Katie Roth.

Last year, the sale netted about $18,000 and hopes were this year it would break the $20,000 mark, money that goes into Tabor House programs and housing.

The sale continues Friday from noon to 8 p.m. with admission at $1 and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. when admission is free.

P.S. Okay, I admit it, I just had to buy something because I wanted it….not because I need it. (tag sale mantra)  Windchimes, $3! (don’t look at the house, it’s being painted, I hope…and that is a whole other tale when it comes to stories to be told!)