ROYALSTON – The Ladies’ Benevolent Society of Royalston and the Royalston South Village Revitalization Committee have joined forces to organize a yard and craft sale and farmers market.

The new market will take place at the gazebo in the South Village every fourth Saturday of the month through September.

Space is available and there is no charge for farmers, gardeners, crafters or folks selling yard sale items. The market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will be held on June 28, July 26, Aug. 30 and Sept. 27.

The Ladies’ Benevolent Society of Royalston recently celebrated 200 years since its founding. Society member Pat Worth described the group, which has about 30 members, as a “service organization. It started out a long time ago when people needed help with funerals – they did something called a funeral collation where people bring food. We help people in need. At Christmas time we deliver baskets of all kinds of fruits and homemade deserts and all kinds of things to people who are housebound. It really is a service organization and it’s amazing that it has lasted so many years. I think Royalston’s is among the oldest of all of them.”

Worth added, “It’s just amazing that, over all of these years, there are still people who are willing to give back to the community, and that’s what this market idea was all about. I thought this might be an opportunity for people to get together for community.”

Worth added that, aside from promoting the availability of fresh produce, locally-made crafts, and yard sale items, another important reason for the event is to provide food to those in need.

“One of the things we’re promoting at this sale,” she said, “is a food pantry that we have in Royalston; it’s called Marion’s Food Pantry. We’re encouraging people to learn about the pantry and bring a non-perishable food item for the pantry.”

Worth is being helped with organizing the market by Rose Lawrence of the Royalston South Village Revitalization Committee. She said the event will consist solely of vendors.

“This is our first time,” she said, “so we’re just really trying to keep it simple – no bands, no entertainment.”

Lawrence credited the idea of the event to Worth, noting, “She just said, ‘We just need to build more community. We’ve got to get neighbors involved, to try and spark a real interest in our neighborhood.’”

Vendors interested in participating can contact Pat Worth at 860-304-7160 text or Rose Lawrence at 978-249-6814 to reserve a space.

Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.