Better than a yard sale, there are no price tags at the Summit Free Market at the City of Summit Transfer Station. In fact, no money gets exchanged at all. All are welcome to come, give and receive without expectation or price of admission.

“I love this event,” says Summit resident Jennifer Malone.  “It is great to be able to give away the stuff I don't need any more to someone who takes joy in finding it, and usually find some great stuff that I need too.”

This opinion seems to be shared by many other residents as well.  Organizers report the Spring 2012 Summit Free Market was the best event so far.  Hundreds of yard sale quality items were shared.  Often, as soon as patio furniture, sports equipment, children’s toys, household goods or bicycles were taken from a car, an interested someone was there ready to give the item a new home.

“Being able to give away good quality toys that my children have outgrown is wonderful,” Malone continues.  “And we have collected two bicycles, a coat rack, a bookshelf and loads of hockey equipment that we are happily using.”

With the help of over 600 community volunteers, many of them middle school and high school students, the Summit Free Market has kept over 75 tons of reusable items from the landfill or incinerator since its inception in Spring 2009.  This year, a Lupus Foundation truck came at the end of the last Saturday and took away any remaining items.  Nothing went to waste.

The momentum for this event keeps growing and there is strong community support for a permanent Summit Free Market building at the Transfer Station that would be open every Saturday.  The City of Summit Environmental Commission is working with the team of student organizers to help make this a reality for Summit.

“People ask us all the time why cannot have a Summit Free Market every Saturday,” says student organizer Claire Harrison, chairman of the Summit Free Market committee.  “Having the ability to share reusable items on a consistent and ongoing basis will be good for Summit and the planet.  We look forward to working to make a permanent structure a reality.”

Currently, the Summit Free Market meets seasonally in the spring and fall.  The next Summit Free Market will be held on three consecutive Saturdays – October 20, 27 and November 3 from 8 AM to 3 PM.  There is also a website where people can share or take items year-round at summitfreemarket.org.

By Amy Cairns Harrison, City of Summit Environmental Commission Chairman