Prairie Alliance Church welcomes community for free garage sale

All sorts of clothes, furniture, and more exchanged hands at Prairie Alliance Church on May 28th during their free garage sale.

Tamara Weselake organized the program alongside Theresa Stanley and Payton Besiata. Weselake says they're hoping to inspire a culture of radical generosity where everybody in the city takes care of each other. She adds that even those new to Portage were willing to support those in need.

"One lady had just moved here recently from Ontario to live with her daughter," explains Weselake. "She had to sell her home in Ontario, and she donated a ton of furniture to be given away for free."

She says they also had winter clothing, sports equipment, and more available. Weselake notes, by the time they opened the garage sale, people were lined up to get in. Even throughout the garage sale, people were bringing in items in exchange for what they took from the sale.

"It went far beyond just the material items," says Weselake. "We had all sorts of reunions happening all over with people who hadn't seen each other in the community for years, all of a sudden meeting up at this garage sale. There was this beautiful community relational aspect also happening. I just loved it."

Weselake says the first-time event had such a strong response that they're hoping to try it again soon.