Staff thrive at op shop
TOUCH OF TOOWOOMBA: Red Edge Drug ARM, 11am, yesterday
Eseta Aupau
I have lived in Toowoomba for the past three years.
I travelled from Christchurch to Brisbane in 2008 to start a new chapter in my life.
Toowoomba is similar Christchurch, the people are friendly, the sights are beautiful and the weather is also similar.
I went to a DRUG Arm shop they were looking for someone run their op shop in Toowoomba, so I gave them my details and I didn’t think about it afterwards.
I’m a real people person and working here gives me the opportunity to be interacting with different people everyday.
This has been my first job as a manager it has come with its fair share of challenges.
I have learnt a lot of new skills taking on this job such as book keeping, banking and managing staff.
It has been challenge but I really thrive on this job.
Beatriz Juarracino
I moved to Australia from Argentina with my husband in 1982 to provide better opportunities to the family we started.
We arrived in Sydney first, then moved to the Gold Coast and then we moved to Toowoomba.
We moved up here because my sons moved here for work and my eldest son started his own family and settled down and we wanted to be closer to family so we moved to Toowoomba.
I got involved with Drug ARM for about two months.
I walked into the shop and asked if I could volunteer at the shop but the roster was full.
A couple of weeks later I would get a call asking if I would still like to volunteer and that was it.
I started working here and I realised what sort of work Drug ARM does with its counselling services and programs and it was good to see the work we do in this shop help fund these services.
Doing something for someone else makes you feel good about yourself.
When I first arrived in Australia I missed Argentina but after I had my children and raised my family, Australia became home.
It was a massive change. The language barrier was the biggest hurdle to cross which can still be a challenge sometimes.
The people of Toowoomba are nice and respectful. There is a homely feeling to the city which is really welcoming.
Pat DeVoss
I started volunteering at Drug ARM about two months ago.
I have no family left so working here gives me a chance to interact with other people and to keep myself busy.
I have always wanted to work in a small boutique shop while I worked in nursing homes and hospitals as a cleaner for 30 years and this shop was the perfect opportunity to prove that people over 60 can still do things.
I am also a foster carer for the Off The Chain Rescue.
I am currently looking after two puppies and two kittens.
All I have to do is provide the care, Off the Chain covers the cost for everything else.
Working here presents a challenge for me and it’s also good for the brain.