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MEET THE MANAGER

8/22/2019

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​MEET THE MANAGER
 
Any regular visitor to Maria’s Treasures will recognize this face.  Deb Eld, our manager, is a continuing presence at the store, inviting customers in and checking them out (on the cash register, of course). 
 
Deb became a mentor with Friends of Maria from the early days, eager to participate in group activities for women who were seeking a supportive community of friends. 
 
In 2014, Friends of Maria was offered an opportunity to open a Thrift Store in Taftville.  We asked ourselves, what better way to nurture a community spirit among women (and men) in this multicultural community?
 
 “Birthing” a store requires not only a continuing faith in the value of the project, but a commitment to days and weeks of the hard, physical work associated with getting that store up and running.  Deb, with her husband Andy, joined the effort wholeheartedly.
 
Creating a store requires more than amassing inventory.  It needs a manager willing to keep an open heart and mind in the ongoing effort to create and grow a community of volunteers who share a commitment to each other and the mission they share.  Deb’s got this.
If you want to experience the “Deb difference,” just stop by.  As you pick up your shopping basket and explore your way around the 5200 sq. ft. of bargains, notice the focused team work of the volunteers who are sorting, pricing, and placing the inventory while enjoying each other’s company and offering assistance to browsers like you. 
Rules, standards, and procedures that Deb has developed provide a reassuring structure and, also, a sense of pride and achievement.  The phone calls and flowers when someone is ill, the birthday cakes, and the recognition of personal milestones reinforce frequent words of thanks and appreciation. 
As a Volunteer among volunteers, Deb earns the love and respect of us all.  When you stop in, please give her a thumbs up to let her know you’ve read this tribute and, if the Spirit moves you, ask her what it takes to become a member of her team.

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The Show Must Go On

7/30/2019

3 Comments

 
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Meet Izzy.  She is five years old.  She happens to be the granddaughter of our beloved volunteer, Mona.  And, yes, Izzy is a ballerina. Since she was very young, one of Izzy's favorite things has been to visit Maria's Treasures and pick out something special for herself or another family member.  Izzy also likes to donate clothes she has outgrown.  Welll...somehow her ballet dress got included in a recent bag of clothing and no one at home noticed, until the dance recital was only a few days away.  A panicked phone call from Izzy's mom left us perplexed.  Luckily, Izzy's dad had a picture of his daughter in her dress.  Izzy is smiling because the staff at Maria's Treasures found her missing ballet costume just in time for her big recital.  I do believe in angels.  I also believe in our volunteer, Marie, who has a gift for finding a place for everything and keeping everything in its place.  Oh, yes, Izzy is an angel too.  Mona told me so.

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    Hi!  I'm Carol Croteau, founder of Friends of Maria.  I have been making "friends" for over ten years now.  I want to share with you the stories of the wonderful volunteers and customers who have come to think of our Thrift Store, Maria's Treasures, as a home away from home.  Come on in!  Consider yourself one of the family! 

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