Mum sale in Princeton raises $1,400 for community charities

PRINCETON — More than 600 mums, perfectly categorized by color, lined a backyard on Plum Street in Princeton Saturday morning.

A vehicle would pull into the alleyway behind the home, give the name on their mum order and then a group of volunteers would quickly chase down the correct color of mums before loading them in the back of the vehicle and sending it on its way down the alley for home.

It was the scene in Chelsea Sanchez’s neighborhood during her second year putting on a mum fundraiser that sold 606 mums and raised $1,400, which was split and donated to seven local community organizations.

Last year, Sanchez started the fundraiser with the intention of providing mums for family and friends and donating leftover profits to organizations that support the local community.

The first year’s fundraiser sale sold 368 mums, which seemed like a lot until this year’s sale blew that number out of the water.

“When we sold 368 mums last year, my mom said we’d have to sell 500 this year. Well, we did, and then some,” Sanchez said.

So much, she had to double the volunteer help on pickup day, which was this past Saturday.

In 2019, after purchasing mums from a fundraiser and being impressed with their quality, Sanchez called Woldhuis Farms out of Grant Park to see how many mums she would have to sell for them to deliver to Princeton. When they told her 100 mums, she instantly felt defeated, but reached out to friends and family to see if there was any interest. She posted a message on her Facebook page at noon that day, and by 9 p.m. that same evening, she had 100 mums ordered.

“I figured if I charged $10 to keep it even, it would cover tax, delivery and we could donate the rest,” she said.

And that’s exactly what she did. With the success of last year’s sale, there was hardly a second thought on whether or not to do it again this year.

“Mums went up $1 this year to $6.99, so that made a difference to the extra/fundraiser money, but we still raised an amazing amount,” she said.

The seven local charities that have benefited from this year’s sale are: Second Story Teen Center, Flags of Freedom, 2nd Hand Ranch and Rescue, Princeton Buddy Bags, Friends of Strays, Bureau County Senior Center and Arukah Institute of Healing, Inc.

Sanchez put it out on her Facebook for people to vote on which organizations should receive the donations, and these organizations were among the most voted.

“When we serve others, we in turn serve ourselves. I want to do this because I love our community and when my community needs help, I want these charities to be there for them,” she said.

When asked if she will do the mum sale again next year, she said, “I don’t see why not. We will just have to see what next year brings.”

Sanchez extended a thank for everyone who purchased mums and also to her volunteers.

“I can take all the orders and collect all the money, but I cannot unload the truck and pass out the mums by myself. They took time out of their Saturday morning on Labor Day weekend and because of them, they make this successful,” she said.

“Thank you to Patty Hult, Michele Mongan, Dorian Woodbury, Natalie Britt, Paul Britt, Ursula Sanchez, Gwen Garver, Wade Robert, Julian Fulkerson, ZaOndré Thompson, Jake Neumann, Ambrianna Neumann, Chrissy Neumann and Genaro Neumann.”