Yard Sale Brings Thousands to CCBC Essex

For the second straight year, "Baltimore's Best Darn Yard Sale" was one of eastern Baltimore County's largest and most community oriented events. The event relocated to CCBC Essex last year, and continued the success this year on Aug. 17, with over 380 vendors stretching across parking lot A of the campus. Seven thousand buyers of clothes, toys, books, records, athletic and sporting equipment, musical instruments and more began arriving at 7 a.m. and flowed steadily onto the campus until 1:30 p.m.

"Baltimore's Best Darn Yard Sale" was hosted by CCBC Essex and sponsored by The Baltimore Sun and Nationwide Wireless/Cingular Wireless. A representative from The Sun's Special Events department approached Kimberly Branch, director of Student Life last year to solicit the partnership. An expert team from the newspaper met regularly with those at CCBC Essex whose areas would support such a massive undertaking including security, student life, plant operations and J.O. Ward.

The day of the event, all available space on the campus was used for parking in addition to lots at neighboring Franklin Square Hospital, Boumi Temple and Evangel Cathedral. Sam Tress, director of Public Safety, reported that his five-man detail was stretched thin on the day of the event. Several commented to him that this event brought traffic and crowds on campus that they had never before experienced during their long service with the college. Nevertheless, the sunny, breezy day found all CCBC Essex employees in good spirits.

"Despite the heat, this year's Baltimore's Best Darn Yard Sale produced even more shoppers than last year!" said The Sun's Andrea Portocarrero. According to Portocarrero, previous and new shoppers commented on what a great location the Essex campus was and vendors enjoyed the much easier set up process.

According to Branch, the event was a wonderful experience for CCBC Essex, one that she would personally like to see repeated every year.