B.R: Courtney Yeo-Thiessen, Lili Krushel, Shelly Voth of Multiculture Winterfest; Sylvie Nunn of Small Wonders Nursery; Paul Penner of Pembina Counselling; Sean Aune Morden Police Service
F.R: Ashley Wiebe, Joanne Krushelniski of Prairie Crossroads School; Jenna Warkentine of 500 Stephen Street; Jenelle Neufeld of Big Brothers & Sisters; Danita Janzen of Pembina Counselling; Mariyam Tsygankova of Many Hands Resource; Doug Frost of Menzies Medical Centre; Elaine Trefiak for Rock Lake United Church Camp; Nicole Walske of Menzies Medical Centre
Missing: Reps for Knightcot Cemetery and Morden & District Christmas Cheer
A group of representatives from nonprofit organizations gathered in the Morden Community Thrift Store Monday morning anxiously awaiting the fall cheque presentations.
Board Chair Kent Noel explained why it wasn't as much as normally given out in past years.
"Today we gave $94,000 back to the community to 12 different organizations and businesses, and it's not as much as we usually give, but we've hit the point where we have to expand our store. So, we purchased a three-quarter acre lot across the street on the 5th St. there and the future plans are to design, build, and put up a second structure."
Noel shared the plans for the new space.
"We don't have space right now to take a lot of furniture. We can take a little bit here and there, but we need a place where we can actually set up a store with furniture. There's a growing need out there and we're going to do our best to fulfill it."
He expects the new location will require three to four volunteers to look after moving the furniture, cleaning up. fixing it up, displaying it and moving it out the door.
Noel expressed his gratitude to the community for its continued support.
"With the community donating what they donate to us is mind blowing how much they actually give. At one point I thought people sooner or later have to run out of things to give, but it keeps on coming in. We have donors from as far away as Winnipeg and Brandon. They come to the back, and they say they've been saving this stuff up. They know they're coming to Morden and wanted to bring it to the store."
Morden Menzies Medical Centre was the largest recipient, accepting over a third of the total donations.
MMC Executive Director and community representative on the board Nicole Walske said she was thrilled to once again receive a call from thrift store Board Chair Kent Noel with the good news.
"We were thrilled to receive $35,000, which will be used towards upgrading a few more chairs in our patient examine rooms, maybe some curtains, and continuing with our recruitment efforts.”
She looks forward to coming to the donation presentation days.
"They are an amazing group of volunteers that I look forward to these moments just to have candid conversation with them and just for them to be able to experience gifting that money when they work so very hard behind the scenes. I think it's such an important day for them and I just love being able to have those conversations with them and hear their stories. They have such pride in what they do. They're such an amazing group of people."
She expressed her gratitude for the on-going support the clinic receives from Morden's Community Thrift Store.
"Thank you to the community that supports the thrift store. Thank you to the thrift store for supporting the community. We all know these are difficult times for our community, for our medical care and these are those moments that just make everything we do worthwhile. So, thank you."
Many Hands Resource Centre - $10, 000 for funding the food bank.
500 Stephen Street - $10, 000 for operational assistance, large screen TV and resource expenses
Morden Police Service - $10, 000 for vest for Canine Officer Ice and bite suit
Big Brothers Big Sisters - $5000 for mentoring cost assistance
Knightcot Cemetery by Thornhill - $5000 for a new fence
Prairie Crossroads School - $5000 for building project and sports equipment
Pembina Counselling Centre - $5000 for financial assistance to defray costs
Small Wonder Nursery - $3000 for nursery supplies and outdoor space
Morden Multicultural Winterfest - $3000 for bus service costs of transporting between the lake and other pavilions
Rock Lake United Church - $2000 for assistance with upgrades
Morden & District Cheer Board - $1000 for upcoming Christmas season expenses
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