Carly Farrell
AMERICUS — Antique lovers have been in heaven this weekend in Leslie; from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 19 antique dealers were at the Leslie Civic Center are there from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today.
The event is the 22nd annual Dogwood Antiques Show and Sale, sponsored by the Town and Country Garden Club of Leslie. The Civic Center was packed to the brim with all kinds of antiques, such as jewelry, silverware, pottery, furniture, books and more. The event even had a tea room, where shoppers and dealers alike could lunch or snack on sandwiches, soups, barbecue, potato chips and desserts.
Jolie Ledger, the Garden Club’s general chairman, said the event is held each year as a fundraiser, and typically brings in around $7,000 for the Club. The group spends the money on improving and upkeeping the Civic Center and to keep Leslie beautiful.
“We do different things around town,” Ledger said. “We put up the gazebo downtown and we put picnic tables downtown, that type of thing.”
The event used to be held for an entire week, mostly downtown, because the Civic Center was not properly kept up, but when the Garden Club had raised enough money to make the improvements to the Center, the event moved there. The Club also donates to their district Club and the federal Club.
“But, we just want to give back to the community, really,” Ledger said.
Voncile Sirmans and Clara McCowan, both of Fitzgerald, have been attending the event for several years.
“Both of us like old bowls and dishes,” Sirmans said, “So we’re just browsing to see what they’ve got. They’ve got a lot of nice things here.”
Barbara Montgomery, who owns Barbara Montgomery Estate Jewelry/Sterling Silver Flatwear in Junction City, has been attending the event for at least 10 years, she said.
“It’s my favorite little show,” Montgomery said. “It’s wonderful. It’s a fun, easy show to do, and the people are nice.”
The Club raises money from the show by charging customers a $5 entrance fee, charging dealers to set up at the Civic Center, by selling homemade food in the tea room and by having sponsorships, which are $25 each. This year, the Club had 60 businesses and 45 Sumter County residents sponsor the event, which means by sponsors alone, the Club raised $2,625.
