Treasures Found

Once again, the Columbiettes brought their “yard” sale back to the San Marco Catholic Church parking lot. They call the sale “Treasures in the Trunk,” and it fits. All the items that change hands at the Saturday morning swap shop arrive in somebody’s trunk and leave in somebody else’s. With the proliferation of minivans and SUVs, rather than traditional sedans with actual trunks, you could make a case for calling the event “treasures under the tailgate,” but that phrase doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. Whatever you call it – a blizzard of bric a brac? A carnival of kitsch? – there was an enormous and eclectic collection of wares being peddled under the bright November sky. 

There were ornate hand-knotted medallions featuring the Blessed Mother, ornate goblets, superhero action figures, racks of dresses, lamps, candle holders, toy trucks, autographed baseballs, shoes, chairs, sets of china, and just about anything you could think of, along with many you probably couldn’t.

One category with a number of entries used natural items that could be picked up free on Marco’s beaches – seashells - which were turned into a variety of products. Diane Hanz crafted them into assemblages she called “hanging things” or “sun catchers,” with samples dangling in the breeze and living up to the name. Warren Valente displayed his handmade wooden signs, many featuring plays on the word “nauti.” 

Jacci Gratkowski made the decision to liquidate part of her massive collection of figurines and memorabilia featuring Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara in “Gone With the Wind.” Apparently, there are porcelain dolls showing every single outfit the actress wore in the film.

“This isn’t even a fraction of them,” said Gratkowski, who said she had been collecting them for 36 years. Why? “It’s the greatest love story ever told,” she said simply. 

Chuck Base was looking to sell a barbecue smoker that bore a strong resemblance to R2D2. He had used it, he said, for chicken, ribs, sausage, brisket, and more – but now he is moving to an electric hot pellet grill. Renate Witte was selling an old-fashioned nutcracker decoration, just in time for Christmas, and asked, not seriously (?) for a dollar for a photo of it. 

Carol Sullivan sold homemade jams, jellies, and preserves in a myriad of flavors – the blueberry, cherry, hot pepper jam, and marmalade all sold out. The Columbiettes also offered a bake sale, and their husbands in the Knights of Columbus grilled hot food items. Marco Island Academy Key Club volunteers helped out all over the lot. 

Columbiettes president Carol Stanczak said that sale organizers Carmela Petrozza and Barbara DeRosa did a great job. Each vendor paid $20 for a parking space – some rented more than one space to accommodate all their goods – and could rent tables for an additional $10. The show had about 50 vendors and hundreds of shoppers. They were watched over by what appeared to be the same osprey on the cross atop the church’s highest spire who was there a week ago for the Knights’ car show. 

If you missed Saturday’s sale, the Columbiettes will be hosting Treasures in the Trunk again on February 22. Who knows? Some of the very same articles you passed by might show up again, moving from trunk to trunk.