Fair 52° F

Home > Archive > Mar 6, 2008

By Ellie Lambert
A pair of size 8 boy’s pants, $2. A fleece jumper for a 1-year-old, $1. Ladies short-sleeve cotton blouse, $2.
These, and many more items, can be had at the Dixie Regional Thrift Store, also known as Repeat Performance.
Joe Kros helps oversee the operation.
"The proceeds from the store provide critical support for Dixie Regional Medical Center,” Kros said. “The funds raised here help continue the many programs at DRMC, enabling them to continue to provide quality healthcare to our community."
Becky Hansell, DRMC business office manager, lauds the volunteers who help make the Thrift Store run smoothly and efficiently.
"The volunteers make this happen. We have a volunteer service operation at the hospital, and they can either work at the hospital itself or come here," Hansell said.
"We also advertise for volunteers in the Chamber of Commerce newsletter," added Kros," and many people that come in here do not realize that we are part of the hospital."
The Thrift Store has about 35 volunteers, who donate time by sorting through donations, putting on price tags, hanging clothes, putting items on display and running the register.
"We are like a department store of sorts," said Kathy Landre, who works with Kros to oversee daily operations. "All of our items are placed according to size. We have a housewares department, shoe department, electronics, books, jewelry, men's clothing, women's clothing, children’s clothing, all in an area that is specific to the particular type of item. Its not like you have to rummage through bins to find what you want."
Although there are certain items Repeat Performance does not take at all, such as paint and chemicals, they also do not accept items that are in bad or poor condition, due to the financial constraints of having to repair broken items.
"We just can't accept anything that doesn't work," Kros said, "for the time it would take to repair, it just wouldn't be feasible."
The Thrift Store does accept gently used items, from computers to televisions – even once accepting a small boat, which promptly sold to a man from Idaho.
"Just because someone may not have a lot of money doesn't mean they'll take anything. And we don't want to try to sell just anything. We sell goods that are still serviceable and have some life left to them. People appreciate that."
The Thrift Store would even be willing to accept cars or trucks, as long as they were in working condition.
Receipts are offered for donations, to be used as tax deductions.
When clothes are brought in, they are inspected for missing buttons, zippers, tears or stains, and those items are removed and given to another charitable organization.
"We don't waste anything that comes in here," said Kros. "We try to recycle everything. If we get something we find we can't use, we will pass it along to another organization. All of our clothing is sorted by hand and checked over. The items selected are washed, so they go out onto our floor clean."
Volunteers at Repeat Performance will pick up items if necessary at no cost, and will deliver items for $15.
"We have a lot of seniors in our community that don't have a way to get some items to their homes, so we will deliver for them. We cannot take items up stairs, but we can deliver to a location," said Kros.
Money raised from sales goes to the program with the most need within the hospital. Some goes into scholarships, and some goes to projects such as dental hygiene kits that were distributed at some of the schools.
"We've purchased equipment for different departments, too," added Hansell.
Cell phones are donated to the D.O.V.E. Center, and food items are donated to Dixie Care and Share, although they don't get a lot of that, Kros said.
Eyeglasses are donated to the Lions Club, which recently received about 300 pair from the Thrift Store.
"We saved up for about eight or nine months, so that was quite a lot we were able to give to them. We also give toiletries to Dixie Care and Share, the little bars of soap, perfume, things of that nature. We take medical items to the Free Clinic, things such as leg braces, crutches ... things that can be reused for other patients," Kros said.
Kros pointed out that the store is all about giving back to the community.
"We give out clothing vouchers to Dixie Care and Share, to WorkForce Services for someone that might need clothes to interview in, and we are starting a voucher program with the D.O.V.E. Center, for the same reason,” he said. “They bring their vouchers in and redeem them for clothing. That's another way we are able to give back to the community."
Dixie Regional Thrift Store is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 76 West St. George Blvd. Donations can be made during that time. For more information or to volunteer, call 674-7522.

---