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December 14, 2015

The Niagara Book Sale: A Tradition

The Niagara Book Sale for Huntington disease is held twice a year, at Fairview Mall in St. Catharines, in the spring and fall. This summer, for the second time, a third book sale was held from June 10-13 at 377 Canboro Road, Ridgeville, ON. Another sale means another opportunity to raise funds for Huntington disease, as well as to clear out some of the thousands of books that Gail and Neil DeKoning have been storing in their barn.
The Niagara Chapter of the Huntington Society of Canada has held book sales for over 25 years; it has become a tradition for which the organizers aren’t sure the origin or even how many years it has been running, it’s simply a pillar of the Niagara Chapter’s fundraising!
Gail DeKoning and her husband, Neil, took over the event approximately 20 years ago when their predecessors stepped back. Gail told us she never expected the event to grow the way it has over the last few years. They have started to turn away certain donations to keep their book collection of over 5,000 books manageable and effective.
That’s where the summer book sale comes in! Last year, Gail and Neil decided that a third additional sale might be a good way to decrease their mountain of books and raise additional funds and awareness for Huntington disease along the way. The summer book sale was a success and will be happening again this year. Thanks to their years of experience, the organizers know what sells and what doesn’t, so they have organized the donated books in the couple’s barn, where they are stored year-round, appropriately for the summer sale.
To anyone who is interested in hosting a book sale in their community, Gail’s advice is to get organized and set the right price. Visitors are more inclined to purchase books if the space is easy to navigate and they feel that they are getting a quality book at a reasonable price, “If the price is too low, they think something is wrong with the books” Gail shared.
The most popular books are novels, which they have piles of, with well-known authors like John Grisham being $2 to $3. They also have many cookbooks and religious books that are very popular. There were books for 1, 2 and 3 dollars, as well as a section where you could fill a bag for $5.
With every book, the Chapter also hands out bookmarks with information on Huntington disease to spread awareness in the community. It’s a great way to start a conversation with people outside of the HD community, even if they don’t purchase a book. The current movement in reading is with tablets and e-readers, though the organizers have noticed people turning back to books, “People like to pass along books that they love to share. You can’t do that with an e-reader”. This is encouraging to hear going forward to the next 20 years of selling books for Huntington disease.
The summer book sale in the Niagara Region is a great venue to donate, spread awareness, enjoy the sense of community through raising funds, and share the love of reading.
For more information, or to volunteer at any of the Niagara Chapter book sales, please contact Gail at gaildekoning@gmail.com.

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