Kindersley’s Salvation Army Thrift Store could use your help
By Joan Janzen
joanjanzen@yahoo.com
One business in Kindersley that always has customers continually entering its doors is the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Railway Avenue. Inside you’ll find every kind of product you can think of ranging from clothes and shoes to jewelry, dishes, games, housewares, books, DVD’s and craft supplies.
In addition to the well-stocked shelves, you will be sure to see numerous staff either serving customers or continuously busy stocking shelves and sorting through piles of donated items. I asked the Director of Kindersley Community Ministries, Ebenezer Appiagyei, about all the operations that are involved in making everything run smoothly at the Thrift Store.
“We would like people to drop off their donation from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday,” he said. These are the hours the store is open in response to the Covid-19 re-opening strategy adopted by most Salvation Army Thrift Stores in Saskatchewan. “The Thrift Store will surely revert to its former days and hours of operation when conditions stabilize and clearance is received from our headquarters,” Ebenezer said.
As for receiving donations during business hours, he offered further explanation, “We value every donation that comes to our outfit. When donations are left overnight, most get destroyed by adverse weather conditions. Also, when donations are dropped off after working hours, it creates a pile that doesn’t make the front of the store as nice as it should be.”
The Thrift Store welcomes gently used items, which includes anything that fits into the needs of their valued customers. Also, because of regulations, donated items must have a 24 hour isolation period after being received, before they can be put up for sale.
Items that do not sell are recycled. However items that can’t be recycled or that are not suitable to sell to customers are taken to the dump. Ebenezer explained, “It costs us hundreds of dollars per trip to dispose of items we cannot sell or recycle. This impacts negatively on our budget.”
It takes much time and effort for the thrift store to be able to make all the used merchandise available to their customers. Often it is more work than the staff can handle, which means they welcome and need volunteer help.
“Volunteers basically help with sorting and putting clothes and shoes out for sale. Volunteers also help with other duties that may be available. Volunteers do have a say about what they think they can do best as well,” Ebenezer explained.
