By Katie Fallon 

A longstanding tradition in the Sandy Springs community, the Tossed Out Treasures sale will feature a few new twists this year.

The bargain hunter’s paradise is one of several annual fundraisers held by the Sandy Springs Society to raise money for the grants they give to local nonprofit organizations in the areas of arts, education, environment, heritage preservation and social services. Grants have funded everything from summer recreation programs and supplies for youth art classes to a foot care clinic for seniors and English as a Second Language programs.

This year’s sale, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 30 and 31 at the North River Shopping Center, 8767 Roswell Road, will not only offer its regular offerings of the community’s gently used possessions, but also a new selection of “really, truly new” items donated by local merchants. Such items were only available sparingly in the past, but event organizers thought having an entire section of never-owned items would create a special draw.

“It’s always fun to find something somebody else considers a treasure, but it’s also fun to find something brand new,” said Carol Johns, a co-chairman for Tossed Out Treasures.

Johns said the items came from local stores, like the Scarlet Tassel, that wanted to get rid of certain inventory. All stores who donated items will receive a tax deduction.

“We found that retail stores have things that are either overstocked or seasonal,” Johns said.

What makes inclusion of the brand new items even easier is the setup of the large store space at the sale’s totally new location, which over the years has been a food store and baby apparel store. The last business to occupy the spot was a flea market and their individual booths were left behind in the space. During the event everything from Christmas decorations to greeting cards, designer handbags, and vintage clothing to baby gear will be occupying those booths at vastly reduced prices.

“It’s very eclectic,” Johns said.

In the past, Tossed Out Treasures has been held at various sites, including the space now occupied by the Goodwill store next to the Sandy Springs Target. However, the Society ladies have traveled further north up the Roswell Road corridor to the shopping center owned by Mimms Enterprises, which donated the use of this year’s site.

Society member Judy Burkholder said Mimms donated use of their space for six months for only a few dollars, which is usually the case when Tossed Out Treasures needs to find a new home.

“We basically depend on the generosity of the commercial real estate folks to donate a space in Sandy Springs either free of charge or for a very small fee,” Burkholder said. “This particular space was available for both collections and the sale, but usually we move the items to the sale location from a separate storage facility.”

Burkholder said in previous years, the Society used the old Suburban Rental facility near the Williams-Payne House for year-round storage. However, because Heritage Sandy Springs is now renovating that space, she said it is no longer available.

As is tradition, Tossed Out Treasures will still offer those items that always seem to draw the most interested parties. Johns said those things include clothes and furniture.

“We have beautiful clothes and a separate couture area,” Johns said. “We don’t take furniture that is ripped up or falling apart. The only thing we don’t have is large appliances.”

Tossed Out Treasures will also feature a silent auction that includes some of the higher end items residents have donated. Auction items will include an antique piano, estate jewelry that has been appraised by Knox Jewelers and a china tea service.

Because the two days of the sale are always quite hectic, the society will also host a preview party at the North River site from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 29. Admission to the party, which will include food from Chicago’s and live entertainment, is $20. The fee will give attendees a chance to make early purchases of hot ticket items.

“You get the best of the picks,” Johns said. “If you want the first come look, you’re going to get the best that’s there.”

Burkholder said Tossed Out Treasures has remained one of the organization’s most dependable, and most arduous, fundraisers since the group was created in 1988.

“It has been one of the constants,” Burkholder said. “It’s a lot of work and a great number of people. It’s labor intensive.