NEW SHARON — The Seven Mile Yard Sale takes place this weekend along the Weeks Mills Road from Route 2 in New Sharon to Route 43 in Farmington.

At least 30 families, probably more, participate, Cheryl Schanz, an organizer, said of the sale that runs from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Residents along the road and some side roads like Bailey Hill Road join in and hold sales at their homes. It is not every house. But some homes have more than one family participating, she said. Some have 5 or 6 families set up at their home.

For the third year, the first weekend in May is set aside for the sale, she said. People come at a steady pace all day, more on Saturday, she added.

While Schanz lived in Cornville she participated in the 12-mile yard sale there. That sale has run 27 consecutive years and is held on the third weekend in May.

After she and her husband, Lee, moved to the Weeks Mills Road, Cheryl and neighbor Wendy Pond decided to try a similar sale in New Sharon.

One neighbor, Dee LaPlant, runs a yard sale for the Relay for Life.

As an active member of the Franklin Savings Bank employee team, LaPlant collects donations of items from other employees, family members and friends, she said. All proceeds from the sale are donated to the Relay for Life.

“I become the junk dealer,” she said.

Another neighbor makes furniture to sell, benches, stools and other items, Schanz said.

Each year flyers are passed out to neighbors and donations taken to help with advertising.

Schanz admits she loves going to yard sales and buys items just to sell in her own yard sale.

“My husband says I’m just trading,” she said when asked if she makes money from it. “I like to buy and sell and I meet a lot of people. We have so much fun.”

Her husband joins her and helps. He buys different items than she might, she said.

She wants to offer a variety of items and different things than she had last year so people will come.

Some items are purchased at junk shops or at end-of-the year yard sales, she said.

Some items are ones she has bought, used and tired of. I can always put them in the yard sale, she said.

Schanz also likes to collect antiques so prices can vary.

Some neighbors only participate in the sale on Saturday but Schanz runs it both days, she said as she placed items in her garage for the sale.

The New Sharon end of the Weeks Mills Road begins at the Michigan Lumber Co. The road ends 7 miles later at the Farmington end off Route 43. The turn is just before the Franklin County Animal Shelter, she said.

[email protected]