IRVINGTON — Preparations are in the final stages for the next big Benton House Association benefit activity, the Annual Used Book Sale. Sponsored by Montgomery Tent and Awning Company, the sale will take place August 23-25. On Friday, the sale will be held from 4-7 p.m., then on Saturday the sale will be 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday the flaps will open for the “everything must go” sale from noon-4 p.m. Most paperbacks are priced at 50 cents, hardbacks $1, and children’s books have special low pricing. There are a few collectible types of books priced a little higher.
The Benton House Used Book Sale is truly a community effort. A tent will be erected at 312 South Downey Ave. on August 20. The next day a group of Scouts from Irvington plus a group of Irvington merchants supplied by Joe Hammond of Oakley-Hammond will move books up from the basement of the Benton House.
Lisa Flick and Elizabeth Wissel, and a number of other volunteers have been busy sorting books. Lori Bloomer who manages U-Press at Office Max has donated boxes for the sorting. Books are being collected at six locations in Irvington. Dufours, Jockamos, Roll With It Bakery, Black Sheep Gifts, Deering Cleaners and Snips were collection points for the donated books. Andy and Jeffrey Whitehurst were in charge of the collection. However, the big organizers of this event are Bill and Rose Mary Clarke.
A huge crew of volunteers who love Irvington and the Benton House are responsible for making the Benton House Used Book Sale a success every year. This sale along with the Benton House Irvington Tour of homes makes up a major source of funding for the care of the 1873 former home of Allen Benton, once President of Butler University.
