Sale organizers face cancellations

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This article was published 11/04/2020 (2332 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Even though the weather is getting warmer and the snow is melting, seasonal events like farmers’ markets and special sales are on hold due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Because these events can’t be held, that will mean a loss of income for the organizers of those events, the vendors who sell their wares at them and the venues at which they are held.

Don Burnett has had to cancel the spring edition of the twice-annual Brandon’s Biggest Record Show because the Royal Canadian Legion in Brandon is currently unable to book events.

When the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair was cancelled, Burnett said he could see the writing on the wall for his own event.

“It’s not a major income source, but it’s helping money,” Burnett said. “I earn a little extra cash by charging rent for the tables, plus selling a little bit.”

He said that he can have as many as 47 tables set up at the sale since it moved to the Legion from the Park Community Centre a few years ago. The number of vendors varies because some take up more than one table.

Burnett said that he also won’t be able to make sales at markets like the Global Market on Rosser Ave. and at Brandon’s Biggest Garage Sale put on by the United Way due to the pandemic.

With him being laid off from his regular job, a lot of sources of income are now cut off for Burnett. He was asked if he could make sales online but he said he’s never found much luck doing so. He’s hoping that he won’t have to cancel the fall record sale scheduled for October.

“It’s gonna hurt a little bit,” he said about not being able to sell at events.

Burnett wonders about the potential impact on the Legion, which gets income from events like his from rental fees and a collection plate they fundraise with at the entrance to the sale. He said he won’t be able to collect food donations for Samaritan House at the event like he normally does.

The Sun reached out to the United Way of Brandon & District to see what the impact of having to cancel events like the garage sale would be on the organization.

“We’ve had several events between now and the end of June that we’ve had to cancel,” CEO Cynamon Mychasiw said. “It costs as far as revenue goes and the awareness piece of some of our event, but at the end of the day, the community’s health and safety is the most important thing.”

She said that they’ll be unable to reschedule the spring garage sale because they already hold a second one during the fall. Some of the United Way’s volunteer events won’t be able to take place but Mychasiw said that they’ll try to move as much online as they can.

“Right now our sole priority is crisis funding for the agencies that are doing the work with people right now and dealing with the increased need,” she said.

Mychasiw said that the United Way across Canada is getting ready to run programs for vulnerable seniors during the pandemic through funding from the federal government. This will take the form of volunteers making sure seniors are getting the help, food and medications they need right now as well as working to make sure they don’t feel isolated.

A community crisis fund the organization in Brandon started has reached the $10,000 mark in donations, she said. There is a volunteer sign-up at brandonuw.ca for those who want to help out with pickups and deliveries during the pandemic. People can also donate to the crisis fund through the website.

She added that she’s heard from the agencies they partner with that the donation of socks and underwear are needed and they’re happy to pick those up for their partners. Additionally, they’ll help get donations of running shoes to the Brandon Bear Clan who have expressed a need for them.

When reached for comment, Glen Kruck of the Community Health and Housing Association, which runs the Global Market, said that with all that’s been going on the world, the market hasn’t been a big priority for the organization.

Kruck did say that the organization had planned on changing the way the Global Market works this year.

Instead of charging a fee to book tables in advance, they had planned on moving to a system where they won’t charge vendors to set up but it would be a free for all to find available spaces.

» cslark@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @ColinSlark