A beloved book sale is back in Chilliwack.
The week-long Chilliwack Rotary Book Sale runs Oct. 29 to Nov. 4 at Chilliwack Heritage Park.
With around 75,000 books to choose from, it’s one of the largest used book sales in B.C., if not the largest, said book sale chair Andrew Crosbie with Rotary Club of Chilliwack.
On Saturday, Rotarians and volunteers were setting up for the sale.
“It’s a good example of a bunch of people from the community coming together,” Crosbie said.
Trailers and forklifts were donated for them to use, and they were given a bunch of second-hand tables from the 147 Airwolf Royal Canadian Air Cadets Squadron.
The cadets also volunteered their time, along with local high school students and other community members.
One of those community members is Cecile Murray who’s been volunteering at the book sale for 29 years, who now manages the children’s section.
This year, she and another volunteer sorted through 15,000 children’s books. Murray said even though the book sale gets bigger every year, she still enjoys it.
“I get my (enjoyment) out of the kids when they’re here,” she said, adding that she loves seeing a kid’s face light up when they find a book they’re looking for.
“It’s the best.”
Last year, the Rotary Club of Chilliwack donated 100,000 books to various local charities, community libraries, Big Brothers Big Sisters, new teachers, and more.
This year, there’s one specific school they will be helping out.
“There was an elementary school in Coquitlam that burned down, so we’re keeping all of the children’s section afterwards, so we can donate books to the elementary school,” Crosbie said. “Which will be thousands, I imagine.”
Last year’s week-long book sale brought in $77,000 in gross revenue. They also have a one-day outdoor book sale, and money raised from that event this year was $36,000.
Books range in price from $1 to $4. There will be no rare books at the sale.
The 39th annual Chilliwack Rotary Book Sale runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 29 to Saturday, Oct. 4 at Chilliwack Heritage Park.
Teachers get books for half price.
On the final day (Saturday, Nov. 4), all items are $1 each from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
For more, go to chilliwackrotary.com/rotary-book-sale.
READ MORE: Readers swarm to Chilliwack Rotary Outdoor Book Sale
