Hundreds of people turned out for this year’s St. David’s by-the-Sea yard sale, helping to raise $6,000 for outreach ministries.

The long line for entry into the yard sale at St. David’s by-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Cocoa Beach formed a few hours before the doors opened at 8 a.m., both Friday, Feb. 8 and Saturday, Feb. 9.

“The turnout was tremendous,” says yard sale chair Ellie Yelle. “We can only guess at how many people attended.” She estimated that 300 people came to the two-day yard sale.

The big turnout produced big numbers for the church’s outreach ministries. “Our net proceeds were just shy of $6000,” Yelle said. “We have since given all that money to local charities that feed and house children, assist with domestic violence victims, aid veterans, and help the homeless.”

Some of the local charities who will benefit from the yard sale are Family Promise of Brevard, Central Brevard Sharing Center, Emergency Money for Veterans, Veteran’s Memorial Center in Merritt Island, Cape View Elementary School in Cape Canaveral, the Salvation Army Domestic Violence Shelter, and Hurricane Relief.

“We subsidize the children who take part in the free breakfast and lunch program at Cape View Elementary,” Yelle said. “In the summer, they don’t have this program, so we put together backpacks of food. Some of the children don’t even have underwear, so we include underwear and personal care items.”

A crowd checks out the many items at the St. David’s-by-the-Sea yard sale in Cocoa Beach.

Members of the parish donated 3,600 pounds of food for the summer outreach. “When I asked for peanut butter, they brought me cases of the stuff!” Yelle said. “We have a healthy budget fully funded by the sacrificial support of parishioners. Our outreach fundraisers (Fall Goods and Services Auction, and Spring Yard Sale) provide additional funding for our many outreach ministries.”

Yelle said she is especially proud of the 2019 yard sale: “We have been told that our yard sale is the most organized and attractive sale anyone has seen!”

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ST. DAVID’S BY-THE-SEA