CANASTOTA — It’s bargains galore this weekend at the Great Swamp Conservancy as the non-profit hosts its annual garage sale fundraiser. All the proceeds support the conservation group’s educational programming.

Thrifters will find it hard to leave empty handed – there’s just about everything you can think of available, said Jack Silky, Great Swamp environmental educator helping with the sale.

After collecting donations for months, event coordinators hope the rows and rows of items clear out of the barn attached to the back of the Great Swamp’s main building, located at 8375 N Main Street Road, by the end of the sale’s final day, Saturday, July 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

With each pass through the aisles, new items can be discovered. Among the treasures Friday were cross country skis, hamster cages, picture frames, flippers, helmets, outdoor chairs, tents, picture frames, a snowboard with boots, books, puzzles, CDs, rugs, headboards, kitchenware, board games, stuffed animals, toys, baskets, lamps, clothing, shoes, jewelry, coffee makers, crockpots, blankets, luggage, holiday decor, hats, purses, wallets, tools, glassware, exercise equipment, alarm clocks, monitors, geriatric equipment, and much, much more.

Prices are set to sell. “Everything must go,” Silky remarked.

The Great Swamp has seen its busiest summer this year, the newest member of the growing educational team explained. “This year was our biggest year in 25 years,” Silky said. “We had two weeks straight of just kids coming in [on] field trips.”

The non-profit’s outreach has been growing, too, with students this year coming all the way from Solvay, Silky said. Each dollar helps continue this growth. “All of this is how we stay afloat,” he added.

Located just outside downtown Canastota, the Great Swamp serves as a community nature center focused on preserving wetlands, which are important for the ecosystem, Silky explained. “It’s a place that helps with flood control. Wetlands, swamps, clean the water for all the major tributaries around here, all the major bodies of water around here.” Wildlife flock to the area, attracting photographers, videographers, and members of the public looking to connect with the outdoors.

“People that don’t even know that much about it, they can come out and experience it and see something new everyday,” Silky said. “We need more places like this.”

To learn more about the Great Swamp Conservancy, visit greatswampconservancy.org.