join us in giving hope and a little more

THRIFT STORE

2113 N East St.

Flagstaff, AZ 86004

HOURS

tues to sat: 9am to 5 pm

928-779-4353

May 12, 2012

Written by B. Packard on May 15, 2012 — Leave a Comment

 

BACK IN THE TRUCK 20 years ago when I first started volunteering with St. Vincent I asked Deacon Larry who I should call to help with the store pickups. He gave me Nick Juarez’s name and number. When I called he thought I was pulling his leg. It didn’t take long to understand why, male volunteers are a rare item and working the Pickup Truck is not exactly glamorous.  I loved it, I got a chance to get to know some truly remarkable men, a lot of them Hispanic and truly men’s men, who helped build Flagstaff. They never wanted the young guy to show them up by working harder then they did. Nick, Tony Sandoval, Charlie Uhalde, Ralph Reyes, and my hero Percopio Alvarado all worked well into their seventies, helping the store by manning the Pickup Truck. As of last Tuesday I am back in the truck every week and proud to be filling some pretty big shoes. We could use a hand if you think those shoes might fit you. Call Barbara at 779-4353 for more info.

 

HALF PRICE DAYS AT THE THRIFT STORE Did you know every day something at our Thrift Store is half priced. It can be pants, TVs, kitchenware or anything red. We have calendars at the store that let you plan your shopping or you can go to our calendar on line, www.flagstaffsvdp.org, to find out what’s on sale and when this month. It’s a great chance to be thrifty (not cheap) and still help those that struggle in our community.

 

MEETING MONDAY If you’re reading this and have ever thought about giving us a try Monday would be perfect. We’ll be talking about how to recruit new Vincentians. And we’d love to hear what an outsider thinks would help us attract new members. It’s at the Thrift Store, 2113 N. East street in the Sunnyside Neighborhood, starts at 5:15pm and we promise to have you on your way home before 6:30.

Posted in Blog

May 10, 2012

Written by B. Packard on May 12, 2012 — Leave a Comment

 

REACH OUT Those of us that are practicing Catholics often bemoan the fact that God is losing ground in our world. We all have opinions about why that is, and more often then not it is someone else’s fault. We at St. Vincent are sure it’s our fault. We haven’t shown the world God’s love in a positive enough manner to convince the world He’s real. Everyone yearns for answers and a chance to share in perfect love, we just need to show them the way through service to our neighbors. Maybe if you helped us at St. Vincent we could convince just one more person that God loves them. If you’re interested call Bill at 699-7831.

 

NEW FURNITURE AT THRIFT STORE We’ve said it before and we’ll probably say it again Barbara Packard is a magician. Now she’s making Brand New Furniture appear for sale at the Thrift Store. Shop early for best selection and before Barbara “Copperfield” makes it disappear. We are open 9 am to 5pm Tuesday through Saturdays and located at 2113 N. East Street.

 

GARDENER NEEDED If you haven’t noticed, you probably need your eyes checked, but since our Thrift Store Remodel nearly four years ago we’ve had wonderful gardens in front of the Store. Jean Buethe deserves all the credit, they have been beautiful. Jean is stepping down as our head gardener and we need a replacement. The basics are already established and waiting for your special touch. There are more than a million ways to share God’s love, and a beautiful garden is surely one of them. Call Barbara at 779-4353 for more information.

Posted in Blog

Living the Easter message

Written by B. Packard on April 13, 2012 — Leave a Comment

Flagstaff resident Melissa Olmedo brought her two daughters — Amelia, 5, and Melissa, 2 — to St. Pius Catholic Church Friday.

Her goal: to get a food basket for the Easter holiday.

“Every little bit helps, you know?” she said.

Her husband Jesus is working part-time for a moving company out of state, and she’s a full-time mom going to school. Jesus’ income and some social assistance puts food on the table.

“It gets hard at times,” Melissa said. “So every little thing helps.”

200 FOOD BOXES

More than a dozen volunteers with the St. Vincent de Paul Society were at the church Friday to hand out Easter food boxes to the needy.

Bill Packard of the St. Vincent de Paul Society said that more than 200 boxes were put together, containing candy, food staples, a dozen eggs, a ham, potatoes.

“Even a little gift,” Packard said.

Many of the items came from the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store, and the St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance filled out the food boxes with staples, ham and vegetables, Packard said.

Who qualified for a food box? The needy, for sure, but anybody who came by St. Pius Church received one.

“You just show up,” Packard said. “We don’t ask.”

GIVING BACK

Missy Acker began volunteering with SVDP 13 years ago.

“I think I’m very blessed and I want to somehow … I always pray for Jesus to show me how to live 1 ounce like he did, and I think St. Vincent allows me to do that.”

On a day like Friday, Acker said she receives an inner satisfaction when she sees the gratitude from the people receiving help.

“I never have a bad day of volunteering,” she said.

Pat Westerhaus has been volunteering for SVDP for 18 years, and she said her faith inspires her to be of service. The Bible verses she quotes center on love.

“I want to help,” she said.

Lora Trujillo said, “I decided I wanted to do something.”

So, she devoted volunteer time to the Thrift Store, and her service to the community grew from there. She has in the past assisted with the SVDP help line, traveler’s aid and the Saturday breakfast at the church.

“I think we’re all part of a big community,” Trujillo said. “And we all should look outside ourselves to serve somebody.”

EASTER FUN

Olmedo said Jesus will be home by Easter, and the family will have a little Easter gathering. The girls will also color Easter eggs and then go on an Easter egg hunt.

She said she is grateful for what the volunteers are doing for the community.

“It takes a lot of planning and organizing,” she said. “It takes a lot of work. It’s a blessing to see that families get what they need for the holidays.”

As her daughters ran and played in the church hall where the food boxes were being distributed, Olmedo said, “I think it’s good for the community. I wish there were more people involved, because it does help.”

Larry Hendricks can be reached at 556-2262 or lhendricks@azdailysun.com.

Read more: http://azdailysun.com/news/local/living-the-easter-message/article_4acf5322-653f-5490-a443-4ded9c9938fe.html#ixzz1rwZCuB8A

Posted in Blog

April, 12, 2012

Written by B. Packard on April 12, 2012 — Leave a Comment

WE SHARED EASTER’S HOPE! Our unique annual Ester campaign, Sharing Easter’s Hope, served 200 families with hams, eggs, potatoes, candy and assorted staples. It was a wonderfully rewarding event for all – thanks as ever to our volunteers, and to Larry Hendricks at the Arizona Daily Sun, who featured us on the front page.

 

THANK YOU, ST. MARY’S What a great partner we have in St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance! They haul all our food from our Phoenix-based parent operation to Flagstaff, for free. They transport our new mattresses from Phoenix to the Thrift Store. They provide nearly half the turkeys and many of the trimmings we give out at Christmas, as well as more than half the hams and trimmings we distribute at Easter. And every week, we are able to pick up fresh food from St. Mary’s that we add to our dry goods. With their help, we hand out more than 250 food boxes a month.

 

WE NEED YOU Don’t let our Easter successes fool you – the Flagstaff St. Vincent de Paul Society can still use your help! We operate the Transient Aid Center (sometimes called Traveler’s Aid Center) from 4 to 5 p.m. every weekday. Volunteers conduct short interviews with people who have encountered misfortune while passing through town, determine whether they qualify for modest funds for gas or travel, and distribute the aid. Sound like something you could do? We need subs for when our regular volunteers can’t show up. Call Bill at 699-7831 to learn more.

Posted in Blog

March 28, 2012

Written by B. Packard on March 30, 2012 — Leave a Comment

SHARING EASTER’S HOPE Collection is under way for Sharing Easter’s Hope, an exclusive creation of the Flagstaff St. Vincent de Paul Society. Help us make Easter special for families who can’t afford to celebrate. We’re aiming to give out about 150 food boxes on Good Friday, including hams, trimmings and Easter candy. Hams are especially hard to come by, so bring what you can! If you can’t get to us this weekend, you can drop items off at the Thrift Store through Thursday.

 

EASTER SALE Looking for some last-minute Easter deals? All of the Easter items at the St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store will be half price next week. Come support the store, and help us continue offering clothing and household goods to the community at the most affordable prices in town. We’re located at 2113 N. East Street, and we’re open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday ( we’ll close ar Noon on Good Friday). For more information, you can call us at 779-4353.

 

LONGER DAYS, MORE TIME The days are getting longer, so you must be wondering what on earth to do with all that extra daylight. We have an idea! The Flagstaff St. Vincent de Paul Society meets at 5:15 p.m. the first and third Monday of each month – including this Monday, April 2 – and we’d love to see some new faces. Come find out how we improve the lives of our less fortunate neighbors, and see how you can pitch in!

Posted in Blog
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