Laughter and smiles abounded as the community turned out on May 15 at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post’s second annual yard sale.

On display at the front of the 144 Cross Rd. Post building was a bake sale table with cookies, bread, brownies, and more, while the main sale — of kitchen items, furniture, books, toys, and clothes, plus grilled burgers and hot dogs — was located around back.

Volunteers from the VFW Auxiliary and the Post helped sort and price items, all of which were donated by friends, family, and community members for the occasion.

“Last year we did it all for the Post, because it was struggling so bad,” said Auxiliary President Terry Caton. “This one we’re splitting half and half.” 

Both organizations work to support local veterans.

“We try to support any veteran that might come and ask us for help,” explained VFW Post 9059 Commander Joseph Toomey, Jr. “And it could be anything, any kind of problem.”

They work with other organizations and government bodies like the Council on Aging, the Veterans Service Office, and the Veterans Advisory Board, and take part in ceremonies like the upcoming May 31 Memorial Day parade.

The Post will also place flags at the Elm St. cemetery prior to the parade — while the Auxiliary places flags at the graves of military servicemen and women at eighteen other cemeteries in town. 

But it hasn’t been all parades and bake sales this past year.

“We’ve had a hell of a year with the Covid thing,” said Toomey. “We lost a lot of business because we couldn’t have a lot of people [in the bar.] We couldn't rent the hall.”

Toomey noted that a few local VFW posts have already gone under due to the pandemic.

“There are two or three in the area that have completely folded,” he said, including one in the North End of New Bedford.

But thanks in part to the fact that the Post owns its own building — Toomey said the town, unwilling to maintain the former schoolhouse, sold it to the VFW for $1 when the post started in 1947 — “We stayed open, and we did as much as we could.”

As things open up again, the Post and Auxiliary plan to host the usual number of events and then some.

This summer they said they’re hoping to hold the traditional Commander’s Steak Party and the Auxiliary chicken barbecue, both of which were cancelled last year.

They’re also planning a pulled pork barbecue event as well.

As for the yard sale, “It’s going well,” Caton said, nodding at the people perusing items. “We need to get rid of all this!”

She said the first item sold was also one of the biggest. 

“It was a teddy bear,” she said. “Six feet. He was huge!”

“Everybody kind of chipped in,” noted volunteer Terri Evangelista, who was running the bake sale stand.

Evangelista made a pineapple upside down cake for the occasion — “And that was the first thing to go,” she laughed.

Eric Baldwin and his mom Judy of Fall River were looking at Cuisinart mixers. “It’s got all kinds of extra goodies to go with it,” he said.

“I had a Cuisinart, and I think the dog ate it,” Judy said. “We had a dog — he liked to chew things.”

Meanwhile, Dartmouth resident Joann Ferry was examining plates. 

She looked up and gestured to the piles of objects around her. “I don’t know where they get all this stuff!”