Volunteers are Appreciated at MCC's Abby East Thrift Shop

Abbotsford, BC - Olwyn Irving has been volunteering at the Mennonite Central Committee's (MCC) Abby East Thrift Shop for 3 years in sorting and pricing house wares. Irving says the Thrift Shop is one of the recycling centers for the community and it gives people with low income an opportunity to shop at affordable prices.

“I am happy with the work I do, I know that the money that is being raised helps people locally and internationally” says Irving, adding that volunteering here brightens her day because she can socialize with fellow volunteers.

Another volunteer, Liane Bastien who works in the Boutique area, says she is happy that she is making more money for MCC.

“I select very nice clothes that catch the attention of the customers ,” said Liane. She said the price is still reasonable and affordable for the customers.

MCC's Abby East Thrift Shop on South Fraser Way has been in operation for almost six years. The thrift shop has a large retail shop space of about 10,000 square feet with an additional 4500 square feet that serves as receiving and shipping. It has several departments, including furniture, collectables, books, clothing, toys, house wares, jewelry, electronic, tools and hardware, sports, boutique and small appliances.

The shop is run by a manager and assistant manager, but like all MCC Thrift Shops, the heart of the operation is the efforts of the volunteers. It averages four to five volunteers a day, but they could always use more.

Manager Mario Alleckna says the shop nets $70,000, all of which goes to fund MCC's relief, development and peace projects locally and around the world. Despite having fewer volunteers than the size of the shop would dictate, the shop has been able to run with few problems. Mario appreciates the work that the volunteers are doing and encourages them to continue the good work of supporting MCC through the thrift shop. Assistant manager Karen Heisler agrees.

Karen Heisler, Assistant Manager says, “Volunteers are the most important people in the shop and their work should be appreciated," adding that one of the ways in which they try to show appreciation to their volunteers is to serve them chicken noodle soup and biscuits every Monday.

“I appreciate the hard work of the volunteers and they do their work whole heartedly” she says. “May God continue to bless them.”

For more information about MCC Thrift Shops you can visit our website at www.mcc.org/bc/thrift

 

Contact: Writer Gina Mudenda is from Zambia and recently completed a year in BC with MCC's International Volunteer Exchange Program (IVEP) the counter-part to MCC SALT. One of Gina's goals was to learn more about journalism in Canada.