Back to blog posts

Volunteer Week in The East Village: Meet Andrea

The back room of the VGH Thrift Store is comparable to Santa’s workshop where all of the magic happens. Buzzing with action, we managed to speak to one volunteer in the midst of the organized chaos.

Andrea, who introduced herself to me as the ‘linen lady’, acts as the gatekeeper as she has the task of deciding what can and cannot go on the floor to be sold. “Feel these sheets,” she gestures, “you can tell this is high quality cotton. These won’t be on the shelf for long.” We asked her how she can determine the quality of an item so quickly, she just smiled and said “years of practice.”

Andrea is a long time volunteer at the  VGH Thrift Store, volunteering for 10 years. Her strong beliefs for recycling and reducing waste originally drew her to the position, but what has made her come back year after year is the pleasantries and social aspect of the job.

“Volunteering here keeps me active and most importantly, makes me happy.”

What makes Andrea so remarkable is her keen eye for detail and how much she cares about the organization. Andrea frequently checks in with James, the store manager, and Brian, the President of the Board of Directors, to know what pieces of equipment the hospital has purchased through thrift store profits. She is so proud when she is able to hear the results of her contributed time and the collective efforts of the thrift store.

When Andrea isn’t volunteering, she likes to read, hang out with friends, and take care of her floral garden. Thanks for being such a great member of the community Andrea!

Do you want to support a good cause? Volunteer at the VGH Thrift Store today!

https://vghthriftstore.ca/volunteer/

The VGH Thrift Store is a not-for-profit organization. Their goal is to run an efficient and fiscally responsible operation to raise funds in support of patients, clients and families served by Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), UBC Hospital and other facilities and community services of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) in Vancouver. To raise funds in support of patients, clients and families served by Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), UBC Hospital (UBCH) and other facilities and community services of Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) in Vancouver.

 


Share post:
Back to blog posts

Subscribe Now