MILFORD – As many events for the Humane Society for Greater Nashua have been cancelled this year due to the pandemic, the shelter faced another financial opportunity gone south, with the cancellation of their annual yard sale, a big money maker for the nonprofit.

But thanks to Cindy Rutledge, owner of the Milford Market, 22 Clinton St., Milford, the annual Humane Society moneymaker will take place there now in space that Rutledge is gifting to the shelter for five weeks.

Longtime shelter volunteer Diane Walton said without the generosity of Rutledge, the reimagined yard sale – featuring antique, vintage and collectibles – might not have happened.

“Cindy really didn’t want the glory on this, but truthfully, kudos to her and a huge thank you from the bottom of all of our hearts,” she said. “Because if she wasn’t doing this, this money wouldn’t eventually be going into the shelter’s coffers. We didn’t expect this.”

Rutledge was approached by fellow shelter volunteer Linda Benson, who shops at the Milford Market. Benson asked her about renting space with a reduced rate in the market to sell shabby-chic goods, furniture and other similar donations to benefit the Humane Society.

“Cindy decided that she wasn’t going to charge us anything,” Walton explained.

“She wasn’t going to charge us with rent or take a commission on what we sold – every dollar collected would go directly to the shelter. And with so many shops closing, she could have easily rented that space to someone else.”

The goal was to have the sale during the month of October into November.

“She essentially gave us five weeks with free rent,” Walton said. “And then a week to get everything out, which actually is going to extend out time there through November 13.”

Rutledge, an animal lover, has two dogs of her own.

“She can understand how we feel about the shelter and the good work they do,” Walton said. “And because we’ve lost so much due to COVID-19, the yard sale is a huge event every year and nets us a lot of money. We can’t thank Cindy enough.”

For more information, visit the Human Society for Greater Nashua at www.hsfn.org, or the Milford Market at www.themilfordmarket.com.