Almost a Happy New Year!

I don't know if it's just me, but this year seems to have gone way too quickly!  It seems like only yesterday we were in the preparation stage of opening, and yet this year we celebrated our 1st Birthday of the Shop and also our 2nd Christmas.  We started up the website, and I tried to keep up (not very sucessfully I might add!) with the blogging to keep everyone in the loop of what was going on!

We've  been in the local Newspapers, and featured in local magazines like the Westender http://www.westender.com.au/

This year, we once again were able to assist many disadvantaged members of our community with the help of some wonderful friends. 

The lovely people at Givit http://www.givit.org.au/ assisted us this year in our Christmas Hamper Appeal by spreading the word on their website, and assisted us with the task of requesting donations of many non perishable food and household items. 

For those not in the know, Givit is a not-for-profit Organisation run by a team of hardworking and dedicated volunteers.  Their aim is to match up people in need with items that people no longer want or need.  I strongly urge you, if you have items of furniture or other items that you are considering donating to charity, please consider putting your unwanted item on Givit's website.   This allows organisations such as housing providers, crisis accommodation facilities, community mental health agencies and groups who help disadvantaged people in our area, to request and receive goods that their clients need.  

So anyway, the wonderful staff at Givit really helped enable us to help out families who really were in need at this time of year.  

Our wonderful friends Tom and Steph at Storage King Salisbury http://www.storageking.com.au/salisbury/  offered us up some space, and storage bags to pack all our parcels. 

 

With our volunteer troops Conwae, Cathy, Helen, Lee, Rosie and of course Desley, the team packed a total of 37 hampers and gift packs that helped out a total of 61 people in total.   I'm sure you'll agree that for such a tiny shop this is a huge feat and one we should be very proud of !! And so with that, Christmas was over, and it is ALMOST 2011!   I am so proud to be able to do such a wonderful "job" where I can be involved with such wonderful giving people and see all our hard work really pay off. 

So, at this point - I would like to thank a few people. 

First off, thanks to Desley, who literally never stops working for the Shop.  Even when she's not at the Shop (which she often is much longer than the opening hours), she's doing something for the Shop, or a client, or someone else who needs something.
A huge thank you to our volunteers this year, Grace, Ellie, Conwae, Cathy, Helen, Lee, Rosie, John and I would like to particularly thank Marie, who always comes rain, hail or shine and always has a smile on her face, no matter how big the daunting pile of donations she is standing in! 

Thank you also to Peter for stepping up and being the delivery/collections person most of the time until recently, despite also working a full-time paid job.  

A huge thanks also goes to all our regular customers, and our donators.  Without you, the shop can't continue to do the work it does and help people who need assistance.

So, I think that's just about it for 2010.  We will be open this week from 10am to 4pm and back as usual in the New Year after the Public Holidays.  

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

- Alani