Trisha Shanks
Arrow Lakes News
One of the most popular stops for shoppers along Broadway Street is the thrift store. Despite the deterrents of limited hours and its cash-only policy, the thrift store still manages to pay for itself and then some. The Arrow Lakes Health Auxiliary staffs the store with volunteers who put in 650-700 hours a month doing everything from working as cashiers to doing laundry to rag cutting and even taking home and folding those plastic bags that they put your purchases into “so that they look nicer,” says Laura Beingessner, long-time Auxiliary volunteer.
Convening in the back room of the building it owns, the Auxiliary members gather together regularly to sort, price, wash and organize the many donations which are left on their back porch. Volunteers number nearly 50 at the moment — currently mostly retired females, but all are welcome.
They are always looking for good summer and winter wear and seasonal items and get very discouraged by the amount of junk that gets left for them to deal with.
“We have to pay for garbage. We have someone who generously volunteers his time to take our recycling and then a load or sometimes two, to the dump. We pay what everybody else pays to dispose of it,” says Helen Scown, Auxiliary President, when asked about people dumping unusable goods and garbage.
All of the ladies present agreed that comradery was the biggest benefit to their time spent volunteering. “We come in on Tuesday, and we enjoy it. We try and keep the thrift shop active and very nicely presented. People put in as much time as they wish, but we also want to be sure that nobody gets burnt out.”
When asked about the rumour that pricing has recently increased in the shop, Scown said, “I think our prices are very reasonable. Any time we consider pricing, we vote on it and only raise the prices accordingly. We have checked with other thrift shops down the valley and into the Okanagan, and our prices are low in comparison. We know the economic conditions in Nakusp and enjoy having our customers come in, and appreciate the support we have had from the village. The area has been very good and we would like to see it continue.”
“If it doesn’t sell, it doesn’t stay. We have a system to rotate things through the store every two months,” says Kathleen Graham, Auxiliary volunteer. “And one of our members takes these items to the Philippines where they are greatly appreciated.” Some items are transported to the Okanagan as well.
After their regular operating expenses such as utilities and snow removal are paid, the remaining proceeds go to the funding of many health related projects in Nakusp. In 2014, the Auxiliary was able to donate tens of thousands of dollars to several different causes, for example: nearly $30,000 went to Halcyon House for major improvements, $50,000 to the Arrow Lakes Hospital, three bursaries for high school graduates, and much more.