BRGNS SAYS THANKS FOR SUCCESSFUL RUMMAGE SALE

Throughout the weekend of May 17, 18 and 19, the staff and volunteers of Black River Good Neighbor Services conducted their semi-annual rummage sale at Fletcher Farm in Ludlow.    The sale has come to be a well-recognized and eagerly anticipated event for the Black River Valley. This spring the weather was wonderful; the crowds were enthusiastic, and the results were gratifying.

The event raises funds needed by BRGNS to help defray the cost of food and financial assistance we distribute to our clients.  With the ever increasing cost of food today, the additional cash raised at the rummage sale goes a long way in keeping the shelves stocked.  We buy much of our distributed food from the Vermont Foodbank.  There, a one dollar purchase equals about five dollars’ worth of food from a regular grocery store.  But even with this buying power, we always need additional food; so the additional cash is a tremendous boost for our program.

The next rummage sale will be held September 27, 28 and 29, and we are already planning it.  Please consider donating goods or just giving a few hours of your time to help manage the sale.  For more information, please call Audrey at 228-3663.

Freaky Friday . . . Friday, June 7 is Freaky Friday at the Thrift Store; don't miss the bargains!

Tuesday Dinner at the Castle . . . A fantastic 3 course dinner for $25 and 50% of the proceeds benefit BRGNS . . . a great meal and perform a wonderful service to your community!  For more info, click here.

A Note from the Executive Director

Hi Folks,

Summer has arrived, and we have some great summer things here at the thrift store.  Our spring rummage sale was a great success thanks to our donors, volunteers and patrons.  We have the best volunteers I have ever had the honor to work with.  These individuals support our mission; truly care about their neighbors and work extremely hard for them.  Rummage sale has become a social event not to be missed. I would like to remind you that when you are harvesting and putting up preserves we would love it if you put some up for us to sell at the fall bake sale. 

We know that summer can be a tough time for families with school age children.  Many kids that live in our area get free school lunch some even get breakfast.  When school is out, that adds further strain on already stretched budgets.  We encourage you to stop in to the foodshelf to see if we can help.  If you are in the position to donate please consider foods that are children friendly.  Or, we can do the shopping for you.  Buying through the Vermont Foodbank we get a much better bang for your buck than is otherwise available at local retail prices.  We happily accept donations of both food and merchandise at the thrift shop Monday through Saturday 10:00am to 3:00pm. 

We look forward to seeing you,

Thanks for your support,

Audrey Bridge

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A Message from Peter LaBelle, President of BRGNS

The rummage sale has come and gone for another spring and our employees and volunteers all feel greatly relieved to relax for a few days.  However, BRGNS is still accepting donations of furniture and clothing and household goods for our stores.  Please feel free to drop off small items such as clothing at any time in our donation box or in the store if it is open.  For larger items such as furniture, please call the store at 228-3663 to arrange delivery or pick up.

With the terrible tornadoes in the Midwest, especially in Moore Oklahoma, we have been thinking back to the very recent floods of tropical storm Irene and how they affected our area and our clients.  Since BRGNS has very direct experience with the process of providing aid to the victims of a natural disaster, we can relate to the food pantries and aid organizations in Moore and surrounding towns and cities.

We know all too well that a huge influx of clothing and household goods can strain an organization’s ability to sort, store and distribute aid.  If those goods are not properly targeted, they can go to waste as well.  If an organization is dealing with its own cleanup, the process of dealing with extra donated goods further burdens employees and volunteers.  For that reason, we recognize that cash is more important as a donation to a disaster area – second only to the labor of those marvelous volunteers.

After Irene, BRGNS received donations from all over the world.  We were amazed and gratified by the outpouring of support from strangers and friends.  As a follow-up to that experience BRGNS established a disaster fund so that it can address the next big disaster quickly and, we hope, effectively.

Not that we are expecting another disaster in the near future, but we cannot ignore the lessons of the past.  Moore Oklahoma knows what that is all about, with deadly tornadoes less than fifteen years apart.  And the May floods in northern Vermont this year make it clear that the Black River may give us another rough time soon.  BRGNS would rather be ready and not face a disaster than to see our neighbors suffer and we be unable to help.