The Edward T. Boyle Center in Auburn turned unwanted items into much-appreciated funds during its annual yard sale Thursday.

Despite the rainy weather, the sale went well, said Maggie Wells, program director and service coordinator at the center. The sale is held every year and proceeds help fund a Christmas party at the center, Wells said.

Residents have been working for months gathering donated items and marking the prices, and some started putting fliers up as early as February to encourage people to donate items they no longer needed, said Esther “Boots” Dodge. As donations started trickling in, Dodge and other residents spent their Fridays putting price tags on the items.

“I think it's a lot of fun,” Dodge said of the yard sale. “I really enjoy it.”

Lorraine Seymour, who has lived at the center for eight years, was also happy with the turnout, she said. She assessed the situation at 6:15 a.m. and couldn't make up her mind about having the sale because of the possibility of rain.

“We didn't know whether to have it or not, but we decided to go for it and we're glad,” Seymour said.

Nancy Proper works in the county office building and has been to the yard sale in previous years, she said. Though it's better to come in the morning, it was pouring on her way into work, so Proper decided to come later in the day, she said. Proper and a co-worker bought a coffee pot because the one in their office broke, she said.

“I thought they were very diligently waiting for people to come and buy stuff,” Proper said.

Scot Fenton decided to help tenants with the yard sale because it gave him something to do, he said. Fenton's grandmother, Lina Gregorio, lives at the Boyle Center.

“It was a group effort and everything went smoothly,” Fenton said of the sale.

Wells does not know how much money this year's sale will bring in. However, in previous years, the yard sale, along with two bake sales, has helped pay for a $1,500 Christmas party, Wells said.

“It's a lot of work but it's a lot of fun,” Seymour said.