Shoppers were smiling as they left Wiscasset Community Center on Saturday, Nov. 5 with large bags full of sweaters, shoes, coats, scarves, handbags and a wide assortment of other new and gently used items all donated to New Hope Midcoast, a domestic violence resource center. New Hope was holding its fundraising event, “Shop for Hope,” for the first time in Wiscasset.This event is held annually in Rockland where it is in its tenth year. Development Director Joan LeMole told Wiscasset Newspaper in a phone interview last week, the Rockland event is very successful every year. The organization plans to make Wiscasset an annual event as well. When asked how the idea of having the sale in Wiscasset originated, she said, “We would like to continue to be more involved in the other counties we cover.”

The Rockland-based 501c3 nonprofit offers advocacy, prevention and education services to people in Sagadahoc, Lincoln, Knox and Waldo counties, and has offices on each county. The Lincoln County office is in Damariscotta.

New Hope holds other fundraisers throughout the year. There will be a holiday fundraiser where honey, chocolates, spices, coffees and tea towels will be sold. The “Shop for Hope” sale is organized by volunteers and all of the merchandise is donated from a variety of boutiques and designers including Bohemian Rose, Citizen Maine Home, EILEEN FISHER, Women of Substance and Moulinette. There was a raffle on Saturday as part of the fundraiser where shoppers could buy tickets to win gift cards to local businesses. Businesses including Bath Cycle and Ski had provided gift cards of up to $100. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens donated a family membership valued at $100 and Montsweag restaurant donated $75 in gift cards.

Karen LaCharite, a volunteer from The First National Bank working at the sale, said there had been a “pretty steady stream” of customers Saturday morning. “People are overwhelmed with the amount of merchandise!”

Gabrielle Ericson-Wenners was excited about the variety of merchandise. She had heard about the sale through her mom Shannon Wenners, a First National employee also volunteering at the sale. Ericson-Wenners works at Bath Iron Works and had told all of her friends about the event.

Shaye Paradis and her daughter Eliza were checking out the extensive variety of new and gently used jeans and pants. When asked what she thought of the sale, Paradis said, “It’s awesome! We should have brought more family here because they would have gone wild. They would have loved it.” She went on to say, “It’s amazing how many companies gave. It’s good for the community to come find new things or gently used things.”