I had the pleasure of interviewing one of our oldest active members, Donna Hess. Among the many recollections she had; working in the old building and having to deal with items dropped off in the alley behind the shop, or her short lived cashier career (thank-goodness) although admitting it was such “fun to meet and chat with the shoppers, but perhaps a little too distracting for the position”.
She recalled working in the Christmas room as being one of her favorites. So many beautiful Christmas decorations would come in to the warehouse. “I would walk around and show the new pieces off to the other volunteers”, and every one would ogle at the “new to us” holiday items. We would sometimes get a list of decorations needed for the local churches, and put them aside for their own Christmas displays. It was such a happy colorful room, especially when the older decorations came in and took us all back down memory lane of Christmas’s past when we ourselves were young children.
“Those happy times with my other co-volunteers got me though a lot of rough spots in my own life, especially after my husband died”. The emotional support and camaraderie of the other women carried me though, allowed me to grieve, and now I can support other women too. Volunteering has helped me and so many others; by supporting one another, we all can make a difference.
Submitted by: Lois Greenhill