Charlestown Fall Sale Will Benefit Preschool, Kindergarten Students

Photo by Francine Fulton
Students at the Charlestown Play House, including (from left) Kylie Maher, Lucy Faunce, Pepa Baldino and Joshua Kreiser, prepare to bake apples over an open fire to enjoy as a fall snack. The Charlestown Fall Sale to benefit the school will open on Friday, Oct. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Kimberton Fire House.

The Charlestown Fall Sale, which has become a shopping attraction for area bargain hunters, will officially open to the public on Friday, Oct. 16, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Kimberton Fire House, Route 113, Kimberton.

The gigantic rummage sale, which remains open for more than a week, features a wide selection of gently used clothing, toys, bric-a-brac, furniture, books, linens, sports equipment and more. All items offered for sale are clean, in good condition and in working order. The Charlestown sale benefits the Charlestown Play House, a nonprofit cooperative preschool and kindergarten located in Charlestown Township.

After opening day, sale dates and hours include the following: Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, Oct. 18, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 19, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The sale will be closed on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 22 and 23.

Additional bargains can be found on 50-Cent/50-Percent Day on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and during the Bag Sale Day on Sunday, Oct. 25, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. All items not purchased at the sale are donated to charity.

Items sold at the sale are provided by consignors and community donations. There will be between 300 to 400 consignors offering merchandise at the upcoming sale, and new items are added throughout the week.

The school holds two sales - one in the spring, the other in the fall. The sales are the school's major fundraising events.

Elizabeth "Miss Betty" Stonorov founded Charlestown Play House in 1936. Miss Betty ran the school and the sale until her death at age 97 in 2003. The school is housed in a former 18th-century church that was transformed into a school by architect Oskar Stonorov. Unique architectural aspects of the building include a two-story wooden slide and a fireman's pole (no longer in use).

Because Charlestown is a cooperative school, parents are required to contribute their time working at the sales. They must also volunteer at the school throughout the year, working in the classrooms and helping to maintain the building and grounds.

Charlestown Play House, located at 2478 Charlestown Road, Phoenixville, provides a five-day-a-week program from 9 a.m. to noon for all classes. Class size ranges from 14 children in the youngest group to 20 children in the kindergarten.

Each classroom is lead by a certified teacher who is assisted by a support staff member and two parent helpers. The school offers an optional afternoon program that runs until 2:45 p.m. During the school day, children take part in a variety of activities, including outdoor play, story time and cooking.

Information regarding tours, fees, financial assistance and admission is available from the school office. Enrollment will begin in February 2010 for the following fall, but applications may be submitted at any time.

For further information about the school or the upcoming sale, or to donate items or become a consignor, interested readers may call the Charlestown Play House at 610-933-2762 or e-mail charlestown.playhouse@verizon. net. More information is also available at the school's Web site, www.playschool.us.

Downingtown-Exton Community Courier - 10/14/2009

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