As I begin my 8th month as manager of WT, I continue to marvel at all every day brings in our store. A large part of our mission is service to our local community. This is one of my favorite parts of the job. We often have homeless folks come in and ask us for assistance. It is so satisfying to be able to give these folks the items they need - free of charge. Yesterday, a homeless man brought in two other homeless men because he felt they were needier than himself, and he wanted to help them. These two men have been living outdoors for an extended time, and didn't even have blankets or decent shoes and socks. We were able to put together the things they needed, and as we bagged it up, one of the two gentlemen began to cry. I think it had been a long time since anyone showed him such compassion. I was tremendously moved by his show of emotion. I am so thankful and blessed to be in a position where I can regularly help others.
Our location in downtown Hagerstown also allows us to see the sad results of drug use and poverty. We sometimes deal with unpleasant situations in our store, that really have nothing to do with us. We hope our customers understand if someone acts out in our store, and will give the same grace to that person that we try to give. I often wonder what the solution is to Hagerstown's homeless problem. I don't know the answer, but I believe that it begins with each one of us doing something.
You can make a difference in our community by volunteering with us at WT. You can use your unique skills and talents for good by helping us help others. Whether you work our cash register, sort clothes, or help us stock the store, you will be helping others in our community. We can train you and you can work any schedule. Maybe you have a unique skill - let us know! We are always open to new ideas and projects!
We currently have over 35 volunteers, and we are like a small family. I don't know how we could operate without any of our volunteers, as they each bring different skills and experiences to WT. One of our ladies handles our shoe department. Another is very knowledgeable about jewelry and takes care of it for us. Our men handle the heavy lifting. A volunteer who is a library employee brings us books that are being weeded out so we can sell them in our store. The list goes on and on.
Come see how you can be part of our WT family. Feel the satisfaction of helping our community. Experience the blessing of assisting the homeless. I promise, you'll be blessed.
Kathy