In an unfortunate turn of events, state budget cuts in North Carolina have led to a popular flea market in the town of Burlington having to push back its original spring opening. Run by the Hospice League of Alamance County, the annual flea market was scheduled to open this year in June. It will now be opening August 6, and running through August 11, excluding Sunday.
The flea market is responsible for roughly $300,000 of the Hospice League’s budget, but a lack of sufficient manpower from the state this year has become a prohibitive problem.
“We can’t get enough volunteers to do what all of this manpower did,” says Hospice League President Faye Boswell. “We had tremendous support from the Dan River Prison Farm. I’ve got four guys now, working their hearts out and we can’t do it, we just can’t do it. We’re just desperate for help this year. We are going to unload as fast as we can and set it up as fast as we can, and we are going to have a flea market for you in August.”
With 36 semi trucks still left to unload, it became clear to the board of the Hospice League that the opening would have to be pushed back. Without the appropriate manpower to help out whatever volunteers had gotten involved, there simply was no way to get it all done on time.
The Hospice is currently looking for more volunteers to help with the lifting and moving of material off the trucks. Anyone in the area who is interested can contact Faye Boswell at 336-213-7901.