Women’s Place Book Riot returning after two-year hiatus
Agency accepting donations of gently used items for popular event, which raises money to support domestic violence programs and services
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the hugely popular Book Riot fundraiser for Women’s Place of South Niagara returns June 7 to 12 at Gale Centre in Niagara Falls.
Organizers are accepting gently used books, games, puzzles, DVDs, CDs, vinyl records and video games at Apple Self Storage, 4655 Kent Ave., on select dates in April and May.
People were able to donate items Friday and Saturday, and more opportunities will be available April 22 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., April 23 from 9 a.m. to noon, May 6 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and May 7 from 9 a.m. to noon.
“It’s our largest fundraiser,” said Amanda Braet, director of development and stewardship for Women’s Place, which offers shelter and outreach services for abused women and children.
“It’s our largest in attendance, in revenue generated. It’s one that we’ve relied on the funds for to support our services for many, many years.”
Pre-pandemic, the Book Riot was raising about $70,000 annually for Women’s Place.
“We receive 70 per cent of our funding from the Ministry of Social Services, but that does leave a gap of about $550,000 annually that we need to fundraise just to maintain the free and confidential services that we provide,” said Braet.
“That includes our shelter, but it also includes all of our outreach services as well.”
The event, which has been around for more than 40 years, is enormously popular among collectors and readers who enjoy looking through thousands of used items scattered throughout the spacious Gale Centre arena floor.
“It is such a well-loved event, and it benefits so much more than just Women’s Place,” said Braet.
“It’s a low-cost literacy option for people.”
She said people book their vacations around the Book Riot and travel to the event from across Ontario and the United States.
“The quality of the books that we keep, even though they’re second hand, our volunteers do such a great job sorting through and keeping back the best finds for people,” said Braet.
“It’s well organized, so when you go to the sale, you know that you’re going to easily find what you’re looking for, regardless of it being a large amount of gently used books.”
This year’s event will feature an extra day, as Women’s Place has two years’ worth of books in its warehouse.
Braet said while a mystery box book sale was held last year, “we certainly didn’t move the amount of books that we would typically move during a regular sale.”
“The pre-sale normally takes place on a Wednesday, but this year will be on the Tuesday, which will give one additional day for sales,” she said.
“It will still wrap up on the Sunday with our well-loved bag sale, where anything remaining, fill the bag for $5.”
The pre-sale will be June 7, when for a $10 admission fee visitors can get first crack at good finds between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.
The following five days will be free to attend — Wednesday, June 8, to Friday, June 10, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday, June 11, and Sunday, June 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“We’ve missed everyone, and we’ve heard from a lot of people that they’re missing us,” said Braet.
The event will follow public health protocols to ensure the safety of volunteers and shoppers.
For more information about the Book Riot, and for what organizers are accepting and not accepting in terms of donations, visit womensplacesn.org/womens-place-bookriot.