NIE program holds annual yard sale

By Donathan Prater

Published: March 1, 2008

Hundreds turned out to browse for bargains at the annual yard sale benefitting the Opelika-Auburn News’ Newspapers in Education (NIE) Program Saturday.

The event feature more than 75 vendors and 25,000-square-feet of shopping space at the USA Town Center.

In addition to shopping, there were door prizes and activities for children, including inflatables as well as a survey that allowed them to gather fun facts and the answers to questions as they mirrored the job of a reporter.

“The idea behind an activity for kids like this, is to get them involved with not only reading and writing but the thinking a reporter working for a newspaper would do,”said Melissa Blackburn, NIE marketing coordinator.

The yard sale has been a NIE Program event for more than a decade.

The NIE Program began preparing for the yard sale in December 2007. The NIE Program distributes thousands of newspapers for classroom instruction to area schools weekly.

Aside from fundraising, the sale’s meant to be a community event, Blackburn said. 

The yard sale turnout was exceptional, said Victor Vance, property manager for USA Town Center.

Vance and his wife own the Kidz World and Lorianna stores in the USA Town Center and donated the space for the yard sale. items that weren’t sold or taken home by their vendors, were donated to local thrift stores.

The NIE Program will hold a book sale and health and wellness expo later this spring according to Blackburn.

There were more than 75 vendors, 25,000 square feet of shopping space and hundreds in attendance.

And all for one good cause- education.

Saturday the Opelika-Auburn News’ Newspapers in Education (NIE) Program held its annual Yard Sale at the USA Town Center.

“Aside from raising funds for the NIE Program, another goal of the yard sale is to create a community event where everyone is invited,” Blackburn said.