By Ashley M. Casey
Associate Editor
While the hamlet of Mattydale made news earlier this month for its community yard sale-turned-protest, residents are coming together to support each other during the coronavirus pandemic.
After their successful holiday party in December 2019, Jennifer Sampson and the Mattydale Events Committee had a full slate of events planned for 2020. Unfortunately, when the pandemic hit, those events were put on pause along with the rest of New York State.
“The Christmas party was an amazing success. There was a lot planned. There was a lot that got canceled because of COVID. We had [planned] a spring arts and crafts event for kids. We were going to have a big summer party,” Sampson said. “We kiboshed a lot of it.”
Taking a wait-and-see approach, the committee held off on canceling the community yard sale. They had decided on the June 7 date back in January.
Around Memorial Day weekend, Central New York slowly began to open back up.
“The zoos were open, the beaches were open — all these public places with lots of people gathering,” Sampson said. “We said, ‘Well, why can’t we?’”
Central New York still remained in Phase Two of the governor’s reopening plan, and yard sales were prohibited by the state until Phase Three, which began June 12. Asked about the Mattydale yard sale at his June 5 daily COVID-19 press conference, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said he did not encourage the yard sale but would not take action against the residents.
Sampson said the shutdown of businesses and schools has been tough on her community.
“We’re a lot of low-income families here,” she said, adding that Roxboro Road Middle School and Roxboro Road Elementary School have the highest rates of free and reduced lunch in the North Syracuse Central School District.
Sampson said she often relies on yard sales and thrifting to purchase clothing for her son.
“Kids’ clothing is expensive and they grow out of it,” she said.
The community yard sale was a peaceful protest against the statewide shutdown, Sampson said, and it was a chance for Mattydale residents to make a few bucks and find affordable household essentials.
“Everyone was happy to get out of the house and find things they needed for their family for not much money,” she said.
The yard sale is not Mattydale residents’ only effort to support each other.
Sampson said Becky Morgan, a member of the Mattydale Community Group on Facebook, set up a “Blessings Box” in front of her home stocked with nonperishable food, diapers, books and other items free for the taking.
“It’s really a need here and we need to take care of our own,” Sampson said.
The Mattydale Community Group is compiling a list of homes who would like to host additional Blessings Boxes.
“We’ve been talking this past week about getting more throughout the neighborhood because some of the people who really need this stuff don’t have transportation,” Sampson said. “When I have the ability to help somebody, I want to be able to do it.”
“Hopefully people show interest in starting their own box. A box could be any weather-proof item that can hold food and has easy access to. This will help so many people,” Morgan wrote in a post on the Mattydale Community Group.
If you live in Mattydale and are interested in learning more about the Blessings Boxes, visit the Mattydale Community Group on Facebook, which can be found at facebook.com/groups/2218566678360167, or send Jennifer Stassi Sampson or Becky Morgan a message on Facebook.
