He makes cutting boards and donates them to the thrift store for sale. Ed has been volunteering for over 32 years and is known for his woodcraft. He’s one of the oldest volunteers the store has.
His wife, Marie, has been there all night, puttering quietly in the back. To counter this, Deanna suggested Romona come to the thrift store (apparently Deanna is the “bossy” twin) and she has been there ever since.Īt this point in the night, Ed Polachek wanders into the back room. Then she introduces me to Romona, her twin sister! Romana moved to Chemainus during the pandemic, feeling the sting of isolation even more keenly during lockdowns and general doomy COVID vibes. She notes the store has husband-wife volunteers, mother-daughter volunteers and even twin-sister volunteers. We can support all levels and abilities,” Deanna says. “I dropped off my application the next day.”ĭeanna tells me that they have a wide range of volunteers, some over 90 years old, and some as young as 12. “I knew at that moment that I wanted to be part of this community,” she says. She saw a customer struggling and watched as store volunteers supported the person and enabled them to carry on and shop with dignity. “I get to see them grow and evolve and I really like that,” she says.ĭeanna Noonan, an assistant manager, tells me she started volunteering years ago after witnessing an act of empathy. But when I ask her what keeps her here, she says it’s the people, especially the youth. She has been volunteering for over ten years, initially she picked up shifts out of boredom. As she buffs a vase, Kathy explains that she volunteers seven days a week, working mostly with the china and collectibles, but pitches in wherever needed.
It’s the room with all the breakable knick-knacks, which deepens its mystery. She emerges slowly out of a side room I hadn’t even noticed. Tracy comes every Tuesday night with her daughter, India - they are part of a small army of volunteers who dedicate time and energy to keeping the Ladysmith Auxiliary Thrift Store stocked and running smoothly.Īfter a quick tour and a tutorial on what goes on in the fabled back room, I meet Kathy Mah. I’m here on a chilly Tuesday evening to shadow my neighbour and local Ladysmith fixture, Tracy Llewellyn, during her weekly volunteer shift. “I’m gonna pop some tags/only got twenty dollars in my pocket.” Waiting outside the Ladysmith Auxiliary Thrift Store, I have Macklemore’s Thrift Shop lyrics running through my head. Smart Guide to Local Business Directory.
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