Summer At the Really Really Free Market!

This is my first year attending the Really Really Free Market as a volunteer, and so it's the first summer Market I've ever been to!

I love the summer Market! There is A LOT more space, everyone is browsing and crowded tables are less so than the winter Markets.

The next Summer Market takes place on Saturday August 3rd, 2019

The first thing you'll see when entering the Market is the Volunteer Table and the information signs. The friendly volunteers are happy to help with any questions about the Market, and will surely make your experience wonderful!

The next sign is a simplified version of the rules:

One Ikea size bag, or one hour spent at the market. It's important to respect the one hour rule, as loitering for better items is not fair to other market-goers. Be sure to follow the rules!

This is the jewelry table, where you will find a volunteer to greet you. The jewelry table is a special place, with beautiful items. These items work with a token system, where you ask a volunteer for two tokens, and exchange the tokens for any piece from the table. There is usually one jewelry item per person. 

One young market go-er found this beautiful necklace! You truly never know what you will find!

Take a look at some of the other items!

A bike seat. some reflectors, and a camera battery charger!

Plenty of books for the avid reader! 

Some home items for those looking for pieces on a free budget! Best deal you could ask for!

VHS's and DVD's!

One Market goer found this really cool hat! She loved it after trying it on!

This really RAD sweater found by another market goer stars Santa and a Unicorn! It even has fur all around the hood! Super cozy!

The children's clothing section has plenty to look at, including a beautiful black and floral patterned skirt! 

 And of course, my favorite find at the Market! Though, this find, was just for pets and scratches, not to take home.

The King of the Really Really Free Market! SANDY! 

I hope you enjoyed looking through the photos, if you didn't find anything in the photos that sparked interest, I hope you found inspiration to come take a look at the next Market! Every market is different and you truly never know what you will find!

With light and love,

Kristina Leis

Grateful Mindset at the Market

                                               Grateful Mindset 

By: Kristina Leis 

Ever wonder if a place exists where no money is exchanged, capitalism is removed and everything being sold is free? Well, the Really Really Free Market Campbell Park has this exact event! It occurs on the first Saturday of each month and they take donations throughout the day. Those donations then get organized into categories and placed on tables. “Customers” are then able to fill their bags with anything they see and like until an Ikea sized bag is full. This sounds amazing, and it is! 

If you’re curious as to whether the market is as crazy as BestBuy on Boxing Day, you can be assured that there is some competition for the nicer items. That being said, the dedicated and hardworking volunteers would appreciate it if everyone waited their turn and chose carefully what items to take. We urge the market goers to choose a grateful mindset over a greedy one. 

The first time I went, I had no idea what to expect. It’s not glamorous or aesthetically pleasing as most capitalist stores are. The event takes place inside of a community building and is quite tight when filled with people, donations, and volunteers. Though the market utilizes the space inside and outside of the building in order to showcase all the donated goods. 

Donation categories include; houseware items, books, movies and DVDs, personal care items, fitness, pet items, clothing, and many more! The left over items then get donated to a charity or church that is willing to accept them. 

With the start of Spring, I urge everyone to do some gratitude thinking and ask themselves if all of the items in their closet, bathroom, and house in general bring joy and spark happiness. The Really Really Free Market is a wonderful place to bring your donations if you aren’t interested in a store gaining profit off your items that are no longer of use to you. It is absolutely wonderful to know that someone will find a dress you haven’t worn in two years and it will spark so much joy for them! Or that coat of yours will keep someone warm during the rest of the winter season.  

If you’re interested in donating to the Market, the next one is happening April 6th, 2019 at Campbell Park! Donations are accepted from 9am to 3pm. Be sure to check out the market, as you never know what you will find. As the saying goes, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

                 

Our market is run on volunteer power only!

Its continuation through all seasons is dependent on a solid base of volunteers, for organizing, for the day of the market, and for post-market driving leftovers to charities.

We are in need of more volunteers for our September 3rd market. Can you make it for a couple of hours, anytime between 8 am to 5 pm? -- We especially need more volunteers between 9:30 am to 2 pm. -- but if those hours do not work, we would really appreciate your help at set up and take down.

Volunteering at the Really Really Free Market is fun! You get to take lots of free stuff, too!

Please email rrfmarket@gmail.com if you're interested! Thank you.

June 4th RRFM is around the corner!

Summer has finally arrived and we are looking forward to our next market on Saturday, June 4th, 10am–4pm, at Campbell Park. Weather permitting, we hope to enjoy a day of community exchange outdoors! 

Please read the side panel of this blog to learn more about what a Really Really Free Market is, How It Works, and some Wish List items we are currently looking for.  

In addition, here are a few friendly reminders: 
- we cannot accept large items unless you leave your contact info and are available to pick them up at the end of the day if they are leftover
- you do not have to bring anything
- if you bring items, please do so before 3pm
- please remember the "shopping cart" guideline for collecting materials


We are always looking for new volunteers to assist with organizational and/or day-of market tasks. Feel free to email us at rrfmarket@gmail.com if you are interested or have any other questions about the market. 


We hope to see you on June 4th! 
RRFM LOVE
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