It’s hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the United Church Thrift Shop opened it’s doors. At the time, some people were heard to say, “You will never get enough stuff to have a thrift shop in Sicamous.” Now, when we look at the mountains of inventory – sometimes nearly reaching the ceiling , we chuckle and get on with the sorting.
The shop has just undergone an addition that has added more space and a more efficient sorting area. If you haven’t been in lately, check it out. On any given day, 80 to 100 people come through our doors looking for clothes, books, tools crafts toys, games, kitchen appliances, furniture, etc. In fact, almost anything you can think of has passed through our doors.
It’s a place where people shop, share stories and sometimes find that irresistible item that was just waiting to be found. “It’s the thrill of the hunt,” as many of us would say. And how can one resist another George Foreman Grill.
There are many loyal volunteers, sometimes as many as 40, who in any given month volunteer to sort, organize, work the cash register and do wonders in the workroom, fixing what needs to be fixed.
There are lots of laughs and lots of sharing happening in the back room.
The thrift shop is always in need of more volunteers (men included) – who usually work a morning or an afternoon shift. If you want to give back to the community and have an enjoyable time, give it some thought. You can contact our manager, Linda at the shop.
For the past 20 years, the thrift shop has spared the landfill from thousands of tons in recycling.
The shop also assists with local crises, transients, the food bank, the school food program, the Women’s shelter, the resource centre and SMART CL, as well as provides school supplies and toys to Mexico, the Vancouver Street Mission, overseas missions and world relief. By helping us you help many others.
The shop’s volunteer staff could fill a book with some of the stories that have been shared throughout the years. Some funny, some sad, but all have added to the history of a place that is comfortable to be in, and in many ways a ministry in the town.
If you have never been in the Sicamous United Church Thrift Shop, we invite you to come. But beware, you may be bitten by the thrill of the hunt.