With a 9-month-old and another baby on the way, Gen Mellott was looking for deals to outfit her children when she first attended the Westmoreland Sale for Kids in 2005.

At the time, the consignment sale was housed in one building on the Westmoreland Fairgrounds.

The sale — next slated for April 24 to 26 — was launched in 2003 to connect local residents with affordable children’s items.

“In my mind, it was massive when I went there,” said Mellott, 42, of Greensburg. “It was nothing that I could have prepared myself for. I was thinking that it was going to be a yard sale, and it was way bigger.”

Now, about 250 local families sell about 56,000 items during the two sale weekends — one in April and one in September. Clothing, shoes and accessories for newborns to 12-year-olds are housed in one building. Strollers, bikes and toys — many of which are unopened — are sold in a second building.

“It’s basically every toy you can think of,” Mellott said with a laugh.

Mellott began selling her children’s gently used clothing and toys at the sale in 2006. But for the past two years, she has opted to volunteer with the sale — running the cash register and assisting customers.

Her four children — two in college, one in high school and one in middle school — also pitch in.

“From day one, (my kids) have been getting used clothing,” she said. “At Christmastime, I have four kids, so they would get Christmas gifts bought at the sale, and they’ve grown up to also start volunteering when they can as teenagers and in their early 20s — just making it normal for them to buy secondhand.”

Mellott looks forward to seeing her “sale family” every six months.

That’s part of the reason Hunker resident Lisa Enlow has organized the fundraiser for nearly 20 years.

“Our going joke right now is we can’t wait to see our consignment family,” she said, “because you do become friends.”

Enlow took over the sale in late 2006, hosting her first event in April 2007.

Prices are set by the consignors, but each item is typically between 60% and 70% off retail price, Enlow said.

Consignors pay $18 to register and give about 40% of the price of each item they sell to the organization, Enlow said. That ratio can be reduced to 20% if they help with set up.

About 800 shoppers attend each sale, she said — including buyers who travel from State College, Ohio and West Virginia.

“They’ll start lining up in the parking lot at the fairgrounds,” Enlow said. “We open at noon. They’ll be in the parking lot by 11 a.m. waiting to get in line.”

Sensing a need in the community, Enlow started a teen and adult clothing sale in 2014.

“I have families that come back year after year to buy their kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews clothes for that season,” she said, “and they stock up on clothes so that they don’t have to go and buy retail price.”