Story and Photography by Paula Antolini
One Patch reader recently complained about the tag sale signs people put up in Bethel when they are having a tag sale, and that they do not go back and remove them in a timely manner when the sale is over. This affects the beauty of the town, the reader said, and he was very concerned.
It didn't take me long to find a few of the old signs today, one was dated back to May 11th! The sign is so old it has vines growing on it (5 months old). The other sign is six days old but there were two identical signs on either side of the same street, on our lovely Greenwood Avenue. All three signs were located about 7-12 blocks from where the sales took place. (See photos on this page.)
I wonder if there are any signs around town older than the sign dated May 11th? Extra points for finding ones that are faded and torn by weather, double points for finding extra large signs, creative signs, or numerous signs in the same location close together. "Points" are not redeemable for anything LOL, but the more signs you find, the higher you climb in our "Outdated-Tag-Sale-Sign-Finder Heroes" list! OK, just kidding, but seriously folks, please take down the signs after you put them up.
It's recommended to remove signs the night the sale is over, but within a few days is reasonable too, if your schedule is tight. However, leaving them up for close to a week or months at a time, or basically just not removing them at all, just litters our town. I am assuming that May 11th sign was from 2013 and not another year! Nonetheless, five months is totally unacceptable and irresponsible, to leave signs on poles.
We love to shop at tag sales, but perhaps this suggestion to be more attentive will make sellers more responsible to remove signs in a timely manner when the sale is over :-). This is applicable for outdated events signs, or other old signs, around town too. Let's keep Bethel sign-free and beautiful.
If all old signs are gone after this story posts, then three cheers for a new system that works!
Obviously we are trying to drop some hints here!
