By Sheila McLaughlin
The Cincinnati Enquirer

MORROW - What started out as an event to draw more people into this small burg is now being billed as "Warren County's Largest Yard Sale."

For the 11th year, people like Merilene and Ollie Skaggs have cleaned out their basement and are opening their yards and garages on Saturday to strangers in a community-wide shopper's dream that draws even some outsiders into the village to sell their wares.

Sponsored by the Morrow Chamber of Commerce, the yard sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. along the streets, in parking lots at schools and businesses, and in some subdivisions on the outskirts of the village on US 22/Ohio 3.

"It is a lot of work," said Merilene Skaggs, a 68-year-old diehard yard-saler, who shops them and holds three or four of her own each year.

"But we have so many people that come in from Mexico, Cleveland, South Carolina and Kentucky. We meet so many new people. And, you make a little extra money."

IF YOU GO

What: Annual yard sale sponsored by the Morrow Chamber of Commerce. When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday Where: Throughout the village and in subdivisions on the outskirts of town. Parking: Wherever you can. Booth space: Available on first-come, first-serve basis. Information: Call the chamber at (513) 899-4466. Directions: From Cincinnati: Interstate 71 north to exit 28 (Ohio 48); south on Ohio 48; left at US 22/Ohio 3 past the Valley Vineyard winery into Morrow.

At the Skaggs' household on Radford Drive, shoppers will find guaranteed-to-be-working small appliances, such as hand mixers, deep fryers, blenders and slow cookers, some furniture and knick knacks.

Jean Rayl, chamber secretary, said she expects about 150 booths and households to participate in the event.

Concessions will be spread throughout downtown, including a chamber-sponsored booth that will offer hot dogs and drinks in the elementary school parking lot.

"This is a goodwill, let's get everybody together, bring them to Morrow kind of thing," Rayl said. "Town is filled with people one day of the year."

So, she said, expect to take it slow.

"Traffic gets kind of hairy."

E-mail smclaughlin@enquirer.com