BELLE FOURCHE—A unique opportunity for shopping is available at the Silver Lining Thrift Shoppe. Not only does it provide a chance for one to find some new treasures, but also it supports an important cause. Located in the back of the Belle Silver Lining Activities and Support Center, the community is invited to come thrift! They are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
All the items that are available in the store are donations provided by the public. “Everything in the store has been donated to us, and when we sort through the items, we wash up all the knickknacks and dishes. We don’t have the facility to wash clothes, so we try to be very picky with our clothes,” explained Marilyn Huston-Engle, Board President. “If there is a stain on them, they definitely don’t go out on the floor. If they’re real pilly—you know how some shirts get—they’ve had their wear, they don’t go on the floor.”
All the money earned at the Thrift Shoppe goes to a good cause. “And everything that’s made at the thrift shop is used to support the kitchen in the senior center and pay electricity bills,” shared Huston-Engle. “We have to help pay the kitchen staff, buy the food—the meal program is not self-sufficient—so we have to help cover the cost.”
The store relies on the generosity of both donors and volunteers to keep the business running. There is one paid Thrift Shoppe employee; the rest are all volunteers. “Usually, we have myself and another gal that probably put in anywhere from 20 to 30 hours a week. And then we have about four individuals that volunteer, like two hours to four hours a week,” said Huston-Engle, who also serves as the Thrift Shoppe Supervisor.
The public is very giving when it comes to donating used items to the store. Huston-Engle explained, “We are struggling a little bit in getting quality stuff—a good saying that we try to go by is, if you would give it to a loved one or a friend, it’s worth donating. If not, it should probably go in the garbage.”
While the Shoppe appreciates all the donations they get, they can only accept them at certain times. They stress the importance of dropping off items while the business is open. Don’t leave items unattended. “We take donations Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We do ask that you bring the donations to the back of the building—do not bring them through the kitchen, because that’s kind of a health risk issue; we’re serving food there,” shared Huston-Engle. “Do not just drop stuff off. We have a doorbell for you to ring so we can go out and inspect the donations to make sure it’s stuff that we want to take.”
The building has limited storage, so not everything can be accepted. Some of the items the Shoppe cannot accept include large furniture, couches, mattresses, large desks or other large office furniture, large appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, stoves/ovens, washers/dryers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, furnaces, trash compactors, water heaters, large console stereos, and carpet or carpet padding (there is a complete list on their website).
The Thrift Shoppe is, however, looking for seasonal clothing, jewelry, small furniture, dishes, small appliances, Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day items.
If you come into the store and spend $10, you can sign up for a giveaway. “We have been doing a promotion where we get a gift card from another business and then if you spend $10 or more, we have you sign up for that; we draw a winner once a month,” said Huston-Engle.
Belle Silver Lining is governed by an eight-member board. “We all wear multiple hats to keep the senior center open,” explained Huston-Engle. “We all take a certain section—since we don’t have a director right now. I take this section of the thrift shop, some do the bill paying, some do the buildings and grounds, and a couple of board members help with maintenance. We have a kitchen committee and we are all looking for more volunteers!”
Huston-Engle has been involved with the Senior Center for over two years. She has a passion for helping people and sees a big need for the Center. “I really believe that the seniors need a place to socialize to feel wanted and loved. Families are busy nowadays, and so it’s hard for family to come over there.”
She encourages everyone to give thrifting a try! “I love thrifting, I’m a big thrifter. I just think there’s nothing better than repurposing an item…I just believe that thrifting is a great way to keep stuff out of the landfill.”
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