When Phoebe decided to volunteer with Minks to Sinks this past fall, she wasn’t just joining a beloved Wilton tradition—she was stepping into a legacy of service that stretches back four generations in her family.
Phoebe’s great-grandmother, Katherine, first became involved with Minks to Sinks in the early years of the sale. Katherine was a trailblazer for the organization, helping bring the sale from empty buildings around town to the tented format we know today. Her barn became a hub for Minks to Sinks storage, housing signage and clothing racks.
Katherine’s dedication to Minks to Sinks shaped the family’s culture. Phoebe said her grandfather fondly remembers that the sale was always near his birthday, and he would be allowed pick out a gift for himself at the event. Even later in life, when Katherine could no longer handle heavy lifting, she turned her focus to the jewelry section, carefully spreading the items out on her dining room table to price them. Her passion extended to solving puzzles – literally. She would bring home donated puzzles, complete them, and note any missing pieces, ensuring no buyer would be disappointed.
Phoebe’s grandmother, Claudia, followed in Katherine’s footsteps. Claudia served as co-chair of the sale and worked under the tents. For Phoebe, these family ties made her first year as a volunteer even more meaningful.
“Getting involved has been an incredible way to connect with my family’s history,” Phoebe shared. “I didn’t get to know my great-grandmother as an adult, but through volunteering, I’m hearing stories from volunteers who remember her that I never would have been told.”
Growing up in Pennsylvania, Phoebe visited Wilton regularly and has warm memories of attending Minks to Sinks with her family. Now a Wilton resident, she said volunteering is a great way to meet people and feel connected to her new community.
Phoebe said that as a new Wilton resident, participating in Minks to Sinks has been a great way to get involved. “I feel like I know people in different corners of Wilton now that I would never have met before,” she said.
In her first year as a volunteer, Phoebe focused on donation sorting and loved seeing the behind-the-scenes effort that goes into making the sale a success.
“You don’t realize just how involved it is until you’re in it,” she said.
Phoebe hopes to continue her family’s legacy of involvement with Minks to Sinks and even dreams of introducing her stepson to the tradition when he visits.
“Minks to Sinks has totally been a family affair for us,” she said.
Thank you, Phoebe, for carrying on this incredible tradition. Minks to Sinks is lucky to have you, and we’re so grateful for the legacy your family has helped build!