Mega book sale still on despite Level 2

Rotary Club of Mosgiel mega book sale co-ordinator Fraser Ellis flicks through the novel Pandemic...
Rotary Club of Mosgiel mega book sale co-ordinator Fraser Ellis flicks through the novel Pandemic which is one of the books set for sale tomorrow, at present being kept in a storage unit.PHOTO: SHAWN MCAVINUE
The annual Mosgiel Rotary Club mega sale is set to go ahead in Alert Level 2.

Event co-ordinator Fraser Ellis said more than 20,000 books would be on sale.

Despite the Covid-19 lockdown stopping club members from collecting books for about three months, the size of the collection was "on par" with past years, Mr Ellis said.

The sale usually raised about $20,000 and he hoped a similar figure could be hit this year.

The money raised would be given to "a range of Taieri community projects".

Taieri Rugby Football Club members would help move boxes of books from a storage facility to the sale site at Taieri Bowling Club.

"We need the muscle because we are getting a bit older and creakier," Mr Ellis laughed.

Mosgiel Scout Group members would help clean up after the sale.

The Rotary club would give both organisations a donation for helping.

For the sale to operate safely in Alert Level 2 safety measures will include a visitor register, floor markings to ensure social distancing, and people having to enter and exit different doors.

Patrons must follow a set path around the tables of books, rather than randomly browsing between tables.

The club would not be selling food this year, which might impact the amount raised.

"The BBQ can make more per hour than selling books."

No more than 100 people would be allowed at the sale at one time.

"That will only be an issue at opening time."

A new initiative was shoppers being able to fill a supermarket bag with books for $20.

"We are trying to minimise the contact so we don’t have to handle every book."

Otherwise, books cost $2 each.

The fill-a-bag initiative might reduce the amount raised, but it would make the sale safer and easier.

More checkout staff would be working in a bid to reduce the amount of time shoppers spent waiting around.

Other goods on sale include jigsaws, games, DVDs, CDs and vinyl records.

Items which failed to sell would be given to the next The Star Regent 24 Hour Book Sale.

Mega Book Sale. Taieri Bowling Club. Wickliffe St, Mosgiel, tomorrow 1pm-9pm, Saturday 9am-9pm and Sunday 9am-noon.

 

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