A dedicated group of volunteers, including current and former employees with School District 58, makes up the Nicola Valley Health Care Auxiliary’s Thrift Shop night crew. The group includes six members who come twice a week for two to three hours.
One of the members, Joan, has been volunteering with the Auxiliary for the past 10 years. She has filled the Secretary position on the Auxiliary’s Executive and created the organization's website. Joan also started the Thrift Shop night crew. She’s currently an academic advisor with SCIDES, the distance education school in Merritt.
Another member, Vera, has also been volunteering for 10 years at the Thrift Shop. As a retired teacher of 30 years, Vera finds the hours and flexibility that the night crew provides a good fit for her. She is amazed by the donations that a small community such as Merritt, gives to the Thrift Shop. Corrine is another member of the Thrift Shop’s night crew and has been involved for almost 10 years.
Similar to the other members, the flexible schedule works for her. She is newly retired from her former position as Registrar at SCIDES. Corrine has also volunteered for many other organizations in the community, including the Merritt Centennials and the Chamber of Commerce. Lee has been volunteering for 6 years at the Thrift Shop and her favourite part about volunteering is connecting with her friends and former colleagues.
Prior to retiring from SD58, Lee was a Special Education Assistant. Susan has been volunteering with the Thrift Shop’s night crew for 3 years. She has been an avid shopper at the Thrift Shop since moving to Merritt in the early 90s. As a Grade 1 teacher at Bench Elementary, Susan has found the Thrift Shop to be a great place to find affordable children’s books, which she brings to her class to share with students.
Shelley-Ann, another teacher with SD58, has been volunteering for almost 10 years at the Thrift Shop. She enjoys being a part of the Thrift Shop’s night crew, as she can give back to the community, while having fun and visiting with friends.
At the end of a busy day, the night crew prepares the Thrift Shop for the next day, sorting through donations, displaying merchandize, and cleaning the shop. They work extremely hard to make sure the Thrift Shop is in order, providing support to the next day’s volunteer shift. Although volunteering behind the scenes and not during the Thrift Shop’s store hours, they have an invaluable role within the organization.
The Auxiliary is very thankful for the dedication and countless volunteer hours that the night crew has given over the past decade!
