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2018 White Elephant Sale Raises Over $2 Million

(OAKLAND, CA) March 20, 2018—The 59th annual White Elephant Sale held on March 3 and 4, 2018, raised nearly $2.2 million on behalf of the Oakland Museum of California, proving another successful year for the Sale. Over the past four years, the White Elephant Sale—presented and organized by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board—raised over $2 million each year to support the Museum. 

“We’re thrilled to announce yet another successful White Elephant Sale to support the Oakland Museum of California,” said President of the Oakland Museum Women’s Board Judy Wilkinson, who was recently named the recipient of the Jefferson Award by KPIX for her dedication to the event. “We could not hold this event without the help of our extraordinary volunteers—more than 1,000 individuals put in thousands of hours preparing for this Oakland tradition.”

“As we near the 60th anniversary of this incredible event, we are so thankful yet again for the Oakland Museum Women’s Board’s commitment to OMCA. The White Elephant Sale continues to be the single largest source of private support for the Museum,” said OMCA Director and CEO Lori Fogarty.

The annual White Elephant Sale is scheduled to return to the Bay Area the first weekend in March next year. Made possible by donations from the public, the Sale accepts donations of gently used, good quality items year-round. To donate, a van is available for free pick up by calling 510-839-5919. For more information–including a list of items that cannot be accepted–visit WhiteElephantSale.org.


ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM WOMEN’S BOARD
The sole purpose of the Oakland Museum Women’s Board (OMWB), a dedicated group with 114 year-round members, has been to raise money to support the Oakland Museum of California acquisitions, exhibitions, educational programs, capital improvements, and more. Since 1959, the OMWB has contributed over $22 million to the Museum. With the help of a thousand dedicated volunteers, they work year round to organize and present the White Elephant Sale held annually during the first weekend in March, which attracts shoppers of all ages from the greater Bay Area and beyond.

ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) brings together collections of art, history and natural science under one roof to tell the extraordinary stories of California and its people. OMCA’s groundbreaking exhibits tell the many stories that comprise California with many voices, often drawing on first-person accounts by people who have shaped California’s cultural heritage. Visitors are invited to actively participate in the Museum as they learn about the natural, artistic and social forces that affect the state and investigate their own role in both its history and its future. With more than 1.9 million objects, OMCA is a leading cultural institution of the Bay Area and a resource for the research and understanding of California’s dynamic cultural and environmental heritage.


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