As you will see from her story, Barb has and still is a pivotal member of our amazing Volunteer team. Her dedication to SOS is more than admirable.
Why I Volunteer with the SOS Thrift Store Foundation
Because I love everything about that beautiful organization SOS Children’s Village BC and have since 1985 when a fellow school volunteer, Lois Bouchard, first introduced me to her commitment to improving the lives of BC foster children.
Even at that time she was clearly on track to making a difference and I mentioned that if she ever needed some help, she might contact me. She did almost immediately as she had commandeered a small one room office within an insurance office on Chatham Street with a donated electronic typewriter and asked if I would like to join her a few days a week, which I did.
Not too long after, Lois began looking into ways to raise more public awareness to the struggles of BC children in care and also funding to carry out that awareness. A small store on Moncton Street in Steveston became available for rent and before many days had passed, with lots of hard work from a dedicated volunteer team, the first SOS Children’s Village BC thrift store ‘Treasure Cottage’ was born.
The store was an instant success which soon outgrew that small space and eventually moved across the street behind Koby’s Billiards, eventually taking over the billiard hall where it continues to welcome the community today. Several of those first amazing Treasure Cottage volunteers still work their shifts each week and the team of wonderful volunteers has grown along with the store, where they have built long-lasting friendships.
More recently for the past 15+ years, I have been a proud part of the thrift store ‘book team’ which goes into the store once a week to sort, price, and display the many great books which are donated weekly. This has been a special time for me with SOS as we have come to share more than just our love of books.
Every volunteer at the store loves to tell the SOS BC story and there are so many heartwarming stories to tell. I am just so thrilled to be a small part of that story.
