St. Charles Park District: Making spring cleaning a snap

Clear out the basement and have your garage sale on the map while supporting the St. Charles Park District’s Teen Center this spring.

The return of the annual St. Charles Community Garage Sale on Friday, May 2, and Saturday, May 3, is the perfect opportunity to promote your individual garage sale while helping the park district’s STC Underground, a teen center dedicated to students in sixth through 12th grades.

“This is one of our biggest fundraisers for the STC Underground, our teen center,” said Dan Procaccio, teen recreation supervisor with the St. Charles Park District.

Residents can register to participate in the community garage sale and park district staff provides advertising and promotion. The park district team will create a guide listing the participating sales online and create a special Google map, making it easier for bargain hunters to find the sales.

Registration costs are $20 for those who join by April 26 for the early-bird rate and $30 for those who register by the May 1 deadline.

Funds are used to help with buying equipment such as games for the teen center’s popular gaming tournaments, as well as program supplies for crafts and more. The center is open year-round and serves as a base for the popular teen and tween summer camps.

STC Underground serves as a place where students in sixth through 12th grades can hang out, do homework, meet up with friends and make new friends, too. Located in the Baker Community Center, the center is open after school through the evening hours and on Saturday afternoon and evening.

Membership to the STC Underground is free. Students must show residence in the St. Charles School District 303 boundary to obtain membership.

The center also hosts programs each month, giving youth a chance to explore coding, learn about nature and try their hand at crafts.

Previous community garage sales have had participation of between 80 and 120 homes. Procaccio said the park district coordinates information on participating locations to create a guide that is printable and online, as well as uses advertising in local newspapers.

Along with being included in the garage sale listings participants receive a yard sign and balloon to help increase visibility to shoppers.

“It’s a great time for spring cleaning,” Procaccio said.