The rain has stopped with gray clouds giving way to blue skies and Saturday sunshine. It should be a perfect day to peek and pick through an assortment of interesting items gathered around Sloatsburg, from furniture to bed frames to iron gates and dinner china, and even a Rav 4 and ATV. The abundance of yard sale items will be on display around the village all day May 17, for the annual Village Wide Garage Sale.

Even the Sloatsburg United Methodist Church Thrift Store will join in on the sale extravaganza. The daylong sale is scheduled to run from 9 a.m. through 4 p.m.

The friendly fundraiser aims to raise awareness and money for the Sloatsburg Scholarship Fund, a local non-profit organization that sponsors scholarships specifically for Sloatsburg students. Scholarship Fund President Annmarie McAnany said that more than 30 Sloatsburg residents paid the $15 registration fee to enter the community yard sale — and all will be included in the special program map that details items and locations  of different sales throughout the village. All proceeds from the event registration fee go towards funding Sloatsburg scholarships.

“We’re really excited about this,” said McAnany, surrounded by fellow Scholarship Committee members, who have all worked hard to help organize and promote the event. “It’s all about the community and bringing everyone together.” Scholarship Committee members include local residents Karen Hansen, Adriana Armstrong, Anne Dowd, Lisa Bialer-Graham, and Maria Balducci.

Part of the fun of the event is to pick up one of the little customer maps for the event which give summaries of items to expect at some of the yard and garage sales. The maps include locations and other event information. Maps can be picked up Saturday morning at Hayward’s Deli, the Sloatsburg Library or Sterlington Station. McAnany and company said the success of the event is rooted very much in local support.

“When people pick up their maps, they’ll get bagels, they’ll get coffee,” she said.

The committee singled out the local support of Jenny Kirby, co-owner of Characters Restaurant for her outstanding support. Kirby held a fundraiser for the Scholarship Fund on May 6 that contributed %15 of the cost of dinner patrons’ checks back to the fund. Some $250 was raised through the event.

“Jenny at Characters has always been really good to us,” said McAnany.

“She’s very generous in supporting the community,” said another member.

“Overwhelmingly generous,” chimed in another. “We don’t even have to ask her, she just gives.”

Sloatsburg Scholarship Fund

The Sloatsburg Scholarship Fund supports local scholarships that range from graduating 5th graders at Sloatsburg Elementary School to Suffern High School seniors, as well as other other Ramapo Central students, and award nominal amounts that go to help offset the initial costs of higher education.

This year the Scholarship Fund will award the Joseph Miele scholarship of $400 to a graduating village senior who has shown leadership, concern for others, who plans to enter either police or fire service.

There’s also the Trooper Robert V. Conklin scholarship which awards $300 to a Sloatsburg senior who has demonstrated exemplary citizenship, leadership, athleticism, community service, and who is planning a career in law enforcement or a related service. The scholarship is given in recognition of Trooper Robert Conklin, who died at the end of his watch on July 4, 1948 at just 24 years of age, and is sponsored by the NY State Police Benevolent Association.

The Constitutional Scholarship of $100 will be awarded to two Suffern High School seniors. Additionally, two Sloatsburg Elementary School fifth graders will be given $50 awards. The winning high school students will receive their awards at the annual Evening of Excellence awards dinner and ceremony that takes place at the William L. Ransom auditorium at Suffern High School.