Busy time for Goodwill store
It’s a busy time at Palmerston North thrift shop Goodwill Terrace End. Not only are the staff and volunteers changing over the store’s stock for the summer months but they are also working on collecting items for the popular Yesterday’s Treasures.
Store manager Catherine Moxham and her team have been bringing out summer clothing. Already dresses, skirts, shorts and swimwear have been flying out the door, says Catherine.
The store carries a full range of clothing for all, although Catherine says they are always on the lookout for donations of clothing, particularly seasonal clothing, menswear, footwear and vintage items for the upcoming Yesterday’s Treasures fundraiser.
Money raised by Goodwill stores goes toward funding Methodist Social Services which include a foodbank, counselling, social work and family education programmes.
Apart from funding the social services, the stores also help provide essential items to families that might not be very financially well off.
Yesterday’s Treasures is a major fundraiser and attracts big crowds. The event is held in March in the Ferguson St Community Leisure Centre. Next year’s event will be the 19th time it has been held.
Yesterday’s Treasures is a sale of beautifully presented vintage, heritage and retro items that have been collected over the course of a year from items donated to the Goodwill stores.
Each year Yesterday’s Treasures have a theme with next year’s event celebrating the end of World War I.
Last year’s theme was Steampunk. This was so successful that Yesterday’s Treasures organiser Valerie Dittmer says Steampunk clothing will again be on sale.
Not only is Dittmer the organiser of Yesterday’s Treasures she was one of the originators of the unique fundraiser.
‘‘It all started in 2001 when Doreen Clifton and I had a lightbulb moment and it has grown from there.’’
Moxham says she has been working on assembling a collection of New Zealand ceramics, in particular Crown Lynn and Temuka Pottery.
In the lead up to Christmas Catherine has been gathering up items that are suitable for gifts or decorations.
Both the Terrace End Goodwill store and the Highbury store have their own Facebook page and these promote special events or sales that are being held.
‘‘They let people know if we have anything interesting or exciting come in. We also use them to promote weekly half price specials. This helps to keep the stock rotating and also means there are some good bargains,’’ says Moxham.