PORT CLINTON - David Kolbe, Friedensburg, started his Saturday morning at dawn, delivering a few pots of soup he'd made - including ham and green bean - to support one of his favorite organizations.
"I've been a member for about 15 years," Kolbe, 58, said of the Transportation Museum at the North Berks/South Schuylkill Historic Society at 68 Penn St.
On Saturday, the society hosted one of its annual fund-raisers, a townwide yard sale, which drew vendors from all over the region, including Schuylkill County.
"We started at 8 in the morning. Around 9, there was about 60 people in the area. Around noon, they were standing out in the street waiting for hot dogs. We sold 120 hot dogs on Saturday and we made just under $400," said Anna Mae McLaughlin, 58, the society's treasurer.
Ed Brennan, 18, of Schuylkill Haven, who is a member of the society, had a table full of items, from Wham-O-brand frisbees to a George Foreman grill pan.
"I had some extra stuff around the house. It's a nice day out and I wanted to try to sell some stuff. About 9 a.m., someone bought a drink cooler I had. I sold it for, like, 4 bucks," Brennan said.
"It's an average year. It's a pretty good day today," said Kolbe, a member of the society.
In the 19th century, canal boats rode the Schuylkill Canal, which stretched 108.21 miles from Port Carbon to Philadelphia, according to historian Larry E. Whyte in his 1984 report "A Guide To The Upper Reaches of the Schuylkill Navigation."
Vince Fisher, Port Clinton, founded The Transportation Museum in Port Clinton in 1983, according to Anna Mae McLaughlin. It's devoted to the history of the Schuylkill Navigation Canal. The museum was established in a former school house located one block west of Route 61 behind the Port Clinton Hotel. The president is Anna Mae's husband, Luke, 60.
The museum includes historical artifacts including a 135-pound anchor retrieved from the Schuylkill River in 1973 by Boy Scout Troop 120, "while they were on a tubing trip down the Schuylkill from Auburn," according to information written on a card near the relic.
There are other remnants, like a canal boat rudder handle, a canal boat pole and small-scale models of canal boats. Plus there's and an O-gauge train set on the second floor.
Like many historical societies, the transportation museum works hard to raise funds to keep the lights on, Kolbe said.
"We have annual fundraisers, like an Easter candy sale. I think we made 170 pounds of Easter candy this year. And we do the community-wide yard sale and a fall festival," Anna Mae McLaughin said.
"And these fundraisers pay our insurance and the oil bill. And they bring a lot of people into town and they realize there's more here than just speed traps," said Luke McLaughin, referring to the police presence on Route 61.
Looking ahead, the society will be holding its annual fall festival Oct. 19. To become a member of the society, interested persons can call 610-562-3996.