Viewfinder: LPCCA goes from Yard Sale to Community Event

The Lower Providence Concerned Citizens Association () held its third-annual Yard Sale event, Aug. 11.

The event took place from 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. on the Firehouse Fairgrounds, located on the large field next to the township’s firehouse.

While in previous years, the LPCCA recorded hundreds of people searching for that special yard-sale find, this year’s event attracted over a thousand people throughout the seven-hour event, according to LPCCA president Ted Baird.

The reason for this increase of participation is likely due to the event transcending its exclusive appeal to yard sale hunters, as this year’s LPCCA event was geared toward inviting the whole community.

“This was great because of the community coming out and enjoying themselves,” Baird said. “I’m really happy with it.”

According to Baird, nearly 70 vendors lined the Firehouse Fairgrounds during the event. Among the scores of yard sale vendors were also fun attractions that included face painting, balloon art and a moon bounce.

Several informational vendors, ranging from child safety to emergency services were also present.

“We’re trying to be a part of the community,” Jake Stinger, Lower Providence Ambulance Service member, said. “Most of us are from the community, so you got to be a part of it.”

Stinger, who is also a Lower Providence Volunteer Firefighter, helped fellow ambulance personnel and firefighters greet community members, provide free blood-pressure screenings, give away children’s fire-helmets as well as tours of the fire truck and other emergency vehicles.

“We’re a big hit with the kids,” Stinger said.

On the other side of the fairgrounds stood a CHIP trailer, facilitated by members of the sixth-district Masonic Grand Lodge. Families at the event were invited to participate in the CHIP program, which documents their children’s personal information, such as fingerprints and photo ID, for parents to keep. This information becomes valuable to law enforcement officials in the event their child becomes abducted or lost.

“The program in general is proactive,” Ben Marino, a sixth-district Grand Lodge Mason, said.

Marino said that the Masons often come out to such public events like the LPCCA Yard Sale, in order to provide public service.

“It’s important because Free Masons try to be as active in the community as possible. “

Various demonstrations were also held throughout the event.

One of the most popular demonstrations were those by martial arts students at , which has a location in Audubon.

Another well-attended demonstration was by Lower Providence Police Cpl. . Kuhnert and Shadow demonstrated how police K-9 dogs were able to sniff out narcotics from a vehicle, as well as make apprehensions.

Lower Providence Police officer Reginald Nealy also showcased the department’s SWAT equipment, from different-sized battering rams to the surprisingly heavy SWAT vests.

“We wanted to show everyone the different services the township provides in times of emergency,” Nealy said.

Proceeds from vendor-space rentals and various raffles throughout the event went back to the LPCCA. According to Baird, the proceeds go toward paying for the nonprofit organization’s overhead costs, including its township-wide newsletter, and will also help support future community-outreach events.

For more information, visit the LPCCA website.