VOLUNTEERS at the St Andrews Tea Gardens Op Shop were feted and thanked at a special end-of-season morning tea, held at the church on Thursday 20 March.
“We had a very good summer season, over the Christmas and school holidays,” announced Op Shop manager Gerry Struik.
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“We were short-staffed some days due to health issues, so some people did three days a week, but we turned the crisis into a victory, as our summer sales were up more than 20 percent.”
“Proceeds from the Christmas sale are 100 percent donated to community groups, including the Nippers at TGHN Surf Lifesaving Club, Tea Gardens Public School, and out to Destiny Haven.
“We recognise that Stuart Hamilton, a local who makes wooden toys to sell for charity also has expenses, such as a few broken saw blades and taking time to teach woodwork to others around town, so we will send something his way too,” Gerry told NOTA.
“The St Andrews Tea Gardens Op Shop attempts to host this kind of morning tea every few months, as the volunteers are very hard workers, from sorting to selling, and we do ask people to wash their donations before they give them to us.”
Another welcome addition to the Op Shop was the new giant teardrop banner, donated by Kirsten and Jess at Myall Coast Realty, based mere metres away on Myall Street in Tea Gardens.
“It should be lighter and easier for the volunteers to get down to the corner of the main road,” Kirsten told NOTA.
All stock comes in via local donations, often deceased estates, and the Op Shop is seeking donations especially of things that men can use, with its new shed ‘showroom’ being employed to display and securely house such items, as well as electronic products.
Wednesday 26 March is the official end-of-summer sale, where clothes, shoes and more will be half price, with some garments going for as low as $1.50.
“As the winter stock comes in here, unsold summer stock will be sent to Africa, where we understand it goes via Ghana, handled by a group called ‘One Ten’,” Gerry explained.
St Andrews’ Reverend Richard Goscombe also thanked the volunteers, and looked forward to the “year of hope” that the Anglican Church seeks to inspire in 2025.
“The period from Easter to Pentecost, all Anglicans are running the ‘Hope ’25’ initiative, addressing the the ‘epidemic of despair’ of late, and hope to see several events around town including a special first responders and primary carers thank-you that we are planning,” Rev Goscombe said.
“Let’s make Easter the start of a period to build hope, make people feel able and eager to contribute, like our volunteers here do every week.”
By Thomas O’KEEFE
