GREEN VALLEY, Ariz. (KGUN) — For 47 years, the United Methodist Church Estate and Patio Sales have been a cornerstone of the Green Valley community, offering a unique solution for homeowners transitioning to assisted living, moving in with family or dealing with the passing of a loved one.
These sales not only ease the burden on families but also support a host of local nonprofits, making a significant impact on the community.
The estate sales, which run from January through April, are the longest-running organization of their kind in the area. With the average age of Green Valley at 73 years old, according to the U.S. Census, they provide a vital service for Green Valley residents.
“They call Green Valley 'God’s waiting room'. We all come here not really to die, but to spend the last years in a great place to live,” Brian Dean, a volunteer with the United Methodist Church Estate Sales, explained. “But when people do die, or they move to assisted living or move back home to be with their family, they have a house full of things to get rid of.”
The process is simple yet impactful. Volunteers from the church step in to organize and run the estate sales, ensuring that homes are emptied and ready for sale.
Families receive 70% of the proceeds, while the remaining 30% is donated to local nonprofits. These include groups like the Animal League of Green Valley, AZ Cares and Valley Assistance Services.
Over the past two years, the organization has donated $25,000 annually, according to President Roger Hummel. “100%, all-volunteer,” Hummel said the only money we use is for supplies such as tape, pens, and transportation.”
For families, the service is a lifeline during a challenging time, as many of the estate executors live out-of-state. In addition to dealing with the loss of a loved one, they are faced with the added burden of having to figure what to do with the things left behind.
“Some of this stuff comes up very, very quickly for people and often, the kids or other family members are far away,” said Barbara Suthards, another volunteer. “We’re able to do a huge favor for them in many ways. They can pretty much leave it in our hands.”
Hummel added, “We talked to a lady yesterday, and she said, ‘You would not believe how much stress you’ve relieved off my mind because we take care of everything.”
Everything includes sweeping floors and making sure the house is empty once the sales are finished. Hummel says the house is sale-ready and the group is ready to “move onto the next sale.”
Once the sales conclude, any remaining items are donated to local charities. This tends to include unsold furniture. For the sale held on Friday, Jan. 29, beneficiaries included Teen Challenge in Tucson and Crossroads Nogales Mission. This ensures that nothing goes to waste and that the community continues to benefit.
For more information about the United Methodist Church of Green Valley Estate Sales, visit its website.
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Joel Foster is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9 who previously worked as an English teacher in both Boston and the Tucson area. Joel has experience working with web, print and video in the tech, finance, nonprofit and the public sectors. In his off-time, you might catch Joel taking part in Tucson's local comedy scene. Share your story ideas with Joel at joel.foster@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
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