Lines of people waited to enter Hammond’s Jean Shepherd Community Center this morning. Doors openedat 10:00 a.m., but shoppers started entering early, eager to buy. From second-hand clothes and antiques to new items and handmade gifts, there was something for everyone at this annual sale.
Young Bella and Angely were very excited about the stuffed animals and really cool new purse they found to bring home. When asked what she was most excited about, Angely said, “My purse!”
The local accessory company Tacenda showed off their gorgeous duffle bags and three-piece purses, acting as perfect gifts for Christmas. The business also does live sales every other Tuesday via its Facebook page.
Jerry Bautista-Taylor used to work at his grandfather’s store as a child and now sells amazing collectible pieces. His tables were full of vintage tin lunch boxes depicting childhood cartoons from long ago, military helmets with battle scars that each have a story to tell, and everything in-between.
“I collect history-related items and I sell a lot of vintage bikes. The helmets draw in the people,” Bautista-Taylor said.
Hot Wheels cars are always hot sellers for him and are sure to please many children this coming holiday season.
Shawna Stooksbury hand knits drawstring soap loofas to hold her handmade organic, preservative-free soaps. With a variety of soaps like her calming, freshly ground lemon-lime and orange bars, Stooksbury takes time and care to bring an assortment to her clientele.
“The cucumber green tea, as well as the coffee soaps, have become very popular,” said Stooksbury. “I cannot keep them for long. I just had someone buy five of them.”
Another local small business here today was Dreams Come True, a husband-and-wife team of Marisa and Braulio Segoviano. They make beautiful sketchbooks and writing journals with graphic fronts, cardholder attachments for phones, wooden Christmas decor, wood earrings, and more.
“People really like our ornaments, our little snowmen, and our gingerbread men,” Segoviano said.
Yvonne Postelmans’ booth sold items left over from other sales and drives that raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. As a grandmother who has seen the heartache and hardships that childhood cancer brings, she volunteers her time to bring awareness in hopes to see the end of childhood cancer in her lifetime.
“This year, we’ve so far raised about $10,000. Last year, in COVID time, we raised $17,000. For me, it’s just speaking to the public, making them aware of St. Jude, and how we need to pay it forward and save more lives,” said Postelmans. “Hopefully one day soon, childhood cancer will be a disease of the past like chickenpox and measles.”
Her grandson, CJ, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) when he was only two years old.
“The only reason I do this is because it brings me happiness, knowing that if you raise the funds you save another child,” said Postelmans. “When we found out that CJ had cancer, our whole world stopped. St. Jude was there for us and we didn’t pay a single penny.”
Postelmans also discussed how her grandson’s care was impacted by his race, yet another reason that brings her to fundraise for the organization.
“The thing about it is because he’s Hispanic, the chances of finding a bone marrow transplant at his age was only 10%,” said Postelmans.
Her son had suggested she start running bone marrow drives because this area that they live in is “a melting pot.”
“I started volunteering for ‘Be the Match’ too and registered over 2,100 people with the help of friends and family. Out of those people that registered, five people ended up saving other people’s lives,” Postelmanssaid.
Though the drives directly run by his grandmother didn’t bring forth CJ’s match, he fortunately still found one– a 22-year-old anonymous man from somewhere in the United States.
“If we can be a part of someone else's miracle, then that’s how we pay it forward,” said Postelmans.
For more information about the City of Hammond, visit its website at https://www.gohammond.com.