The parking lot at 145 Campbell Hill Road in Prospect was packed on March 31 and April 1 as the Prospect Volunteer Fire Department (PVFD) held its bi-annual “Twice as Nice” Children’s Consignment Sale.

The sale, held every spring and fall and hosted by the PVFD’s auxiliary, raises funds for the PVFD and offers the community an optional way of shopping for clothes and other knickknacks. Members of the community bring new and used — in good condition — clothing, books, toys and other children’s items for consignment. The money raised is split between the department and the donors.

Pat Foster and Dana Giles helped organize the event this year.

“We take consignors (and) they tag their own clothes, they hang their own clothes, they bring them in, we get half and they get half of the money,” Foster said. “We also take baby items, furniture, kid’s toys and shoes and other items.”

The sale had been going on for over a decade now, Foster said, and regulars come out for every sale.

The sale began Thursday night for the consignors and was open to the public from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m.-noon Saturday.

Foster and Giles said it was a good event, noting people dropped their kids off at baseball practice or school and then drove to pick something up at the sale. Others brought their children in with them, allowing them to search for items they liked while the parents browsed.

Giles said the it was a big benefit for the community, especially for parents of children.

“It’s neat to see the different clothes and over the years how they’ve come back,” Giles said. “The clothes that I had in the beginning over the time … it cycles, but it’s neat to see that they’re still being worn.”

Madison Giles and Sara Gilbert both worked the sale, gaining volunteer hours for their membership in Prince Edward County’s National Honor Society.

“I like putting all the stuff out and seeing everything everybody has brought,” Madison said. “(It’s good) seeing how much the community comes together to do this.”

“It’s been a good experience,” Gilbert said. “I like to shop, so encouraging others to shop with me is a good experience.”

The event brought in more than $2,000 on Friday, which will be split between the consignors and the department.

Howard Johnson, a firefighter with Prospect, said he was very grateful for the auxiliary and the money they raised through the event.

“They’ve done so much. They’ve remodeled our kitchen for us, they’ve bought us a brush truck, they’ve put in overhead electronic doors…,” Johnson said. “It’s unbelievable how great they really are and how much they do.”

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