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DOWAGIAC — A local church is gearing up for one of its biggest events of the year.

First United Methodist Church, 326 N. Lowe St., Dowagiac, will host its annual fall rummage and bake sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7.

The sale – which has been a church staple for roughly 20 years – will feature clothing, home goods, media, books, furniture, tools, medical supplies and more. 

That Saturday, unmarked clothing will sell for $4 per bag while marked clothing and other items will be sold at half price.

In addition to gently used clothing and products, the church will also host a bake sale in conjunction with the rummage sale to feature homemade baked goods. Books will be free on Saturday.

The rummage sale is a church community effort. According to Trussell, more than a dozen volunteers are helping bring the sale to life.

Proceeds from the sale will benefit several area missions, including ACTION Ministries, United Methodist Community House, hospice care in Cass County, Cass County CASA, Cass County Cancer Service, Domestic and Sexual Abuse Services, Helping Hands of Cass County and the Salvation Army and the local Red Cross.

According organizer Darlene Trussell, $3,129.50 was raised for missions during the last sale and the bake sale raised more than $1,000.

“I’m looking forward to it again,” she said. “I enjoy working with the volunteers. I’m very thankful for them all.”

Trussell is grateful for the community members who peruse and purchase items from the rummage sale every year. 

“We would like to thank them because it is important to us,” she said. “If it wasn’t here, we wouldn’t be able to get anything. There’s not a lot of churches that do this.”