1526 Oxford English Dictionary: romage, n., the act or method of packing casks and other cargo in the hold of a ship. Use of the word rummage is traced to the mid-16th century, the dawn of the Renaissance. This original definition of the word captures the look and feel of St. Augustine’s Home Rummage Sale: Lanagan Hall was exploding from stem to stern with clothing, cosmetics, shoe polish, paintings and prints, books, silk plants, vases, kitchen appliances, radios and TVs, and statues. Furniture on hand included recliners, sofas, bookcases, an entertainment center and lots and lots of, well, rummage.
The event, held on July 19 and 20, was the baby of the Activities Department’s Eliana Wagner and Sarah Roth, and a flotilla of volunteers. Suitable items had been gathered in the basement of the Home for a full year, and sturdy employees had the responsibility for both heavy lifting and artistic presentation. This was no problem, as they are Renaissance men capable of the full range of demands, and the volunteers had special talents in arranging odds and ends into a meaningful whole.
The sale raised several thousand dollars for the ongoing care of the Residents. Thanks to all those who gave time and talent to making this a success, and to those who purchased treasures for the good of the Residents.
St. Augustine’s Home Rummage Sale