St. Mary's Thrift Store honored by Human Relations Council

St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store was honored to receive the annual Community Service Award presented by the Athens Area Human Relations Council at their 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Gala Jan. 19.

Auxiliary President Juanita Ruffin, left, and Thrift Store Chairperson Pat Schlotzhauer, center, pose with volunteers Carolyn Arnold, Joan Cleary and Sue Foley with the store’s award and programs from the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Gala

This award is given to honor individuals or organizations that have made outstanding contributions to human relations through volunteer work or by addressing various social issues.

The volunteers at St. Mary’s Thrift Store, led by Thrift Store Chairperson Pat Schlotzhauer, work together to offer the public an array of gently-used, up-scale items for purchase. For merchandise, they have relied on generous donations from the Athens community since the store’s inception in the spring of 2008. To date, St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store has donated over $1 million to St. Mary’s Foundation to support vital needs within the health care ministry.

As stewards of the goods received, thrift store volunteers ensure that items not sold are put to good use within the community. For example, they donate unsold…

• eyeglasses to the Lion’s Club
• books to Friends of the Library
• school supplies, backpacks, and children’s clothing to teachers and the Clarke and Oconee County school districts
• clothes to the Salvation Army, Athens Homeless Coalition, local nursing homes and Advantage Behavioral Health Services
• Bibles and other religious items to church groups
• blankets, towels, and sheets to the Humane Society and Bear Hollow Zoo
• medical equipment to the Mercy Clinic and St Mary’s Case Management
• furniture and children’s clothing to Project Safe and Family and Children’s Services
• prom dresses to Teen Services
• bicycles and gear to Bike Athens; and
• costumes and clothing to local high school drama and choral groups.

Recently, the store has joined with a local computer company that takes donated computers and reuses the parts. There is always an emphasis on limiting what goes to a landfill, so as much of the donations as possible are sold, reused, donated, or recycled.

St. Mary’s Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store is a vital part of the Athens community that gives back, on multiple levels, to those in need. The auxiliary is proud of this ongoing service to St. Mary’s and the Athens region, and appreciates the continued support of the generous donors who make all this possible.

The store is located at 2156 W. Broad St., Athens, and is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations of gently used items are accepted anytime the store is open. To learn more, click here.