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JUNE
Wednesday, June 9, 2004
7
A QUICK GUIDE TO WHAT'S GOING ON
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Paula Richardson holds out several books selected from one of the booths at Independence, Inc.'s flea market as she tries to decide what to buy. She bought the children's book Wind in the Door, and said that while her two companions Sierra Hawley, 2, at left, and Miranda Doores, 6, were probably too young to read it, it had always been one of her favorites.
Courtnev Kuhlen/ Kansas
Company hosts local flea market
By Marc Ingber
mingber@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Cleaning out the garage this weekend had more benefits than extra car space.
Independence, Inc., a resource center for people with disabilities, hosted a flea market on Saturday as a fundraiser for the organization.
The flea market, which was open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., was the first of three that Independence, Inc. will hold this summer. The other two will be July 3 and Aug. 5.
The flea market drew several hundred people of all ages to the parking lot of Independence, Inc., 2001 Haskell, to buy and sell glassware, furniture, old toys, vacuumse, paintings, printers, jewelry and other items.
"It's just interesting to look around and see what people have," Diane Dupree, Lawrence resident, said as she walked past the booths. She said she thought the copper pottery was unique.
Tony Peterson, promotion and grants coordinator for Independence, Inc., said he was pleased to see a steady stream of people come throughout the day.
Independence, Inc. wants these flea markets to become popular annual events, said Karen Anderson, financial coordinator.
"We had people showing up at seven, before the vendors were even here," he said.
She said Lawrence traditionally has had a lot of garage sales, but not many flea markets.
"We wanted something unique and different that didn't cost as much money to
produce," she said.
Next year, Independence, Inc.'s goal is to have flea markets run from May to October, Anderson said.
Independence Inc. started in 1979 with the help of two University of Kansas staff members, Jim Budde and Roger Williams. Both Budde and Williams served on the board that founded the organization.
They were instrumental in getting a grant from the state in 1979, said Bob Mikesic, advocacy and Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator.
The organization's main goal is to help people with disabilities live independently. It provides a number of services including transportation, counseling wheelchair-equipped ramps and voiceactivated computers.
"I've been flabbergasted by how much they do," said Anderson, who started at
Independence, Inc. six months ago.
Mikesic said state budget cuts had diminished a lot of the money and resources Independence, Inc. got from the state, so the organization wanted to start doing fundraisers like the flea market on its own.
Independence, Inc. made its money at the flea market by charging $20 per booth and selling refreshments. Anderson thought the organization made around $1.000 in total.
Kate Gonzalez, Lawrence, who hosted a booth, said she read about the flea market on a flyer and was pleasantly surprised to know that the money went to a good cause.
"I just found out what they did today, so I'm glad," she said.
Edited by Jay Senter