“Angels” of the Cypress Basin Hospice Thrift Store

Sharon Hale was searching for work shirts for her husband when she entered the Cypress Basin Hospice Thrift Store in Mt. Pleasant three years ago. Not only did she find the shirts she was looking for but she also found a job as manager of the store. Three years later she now serves as the Lead Manager of both the Mt. Pleasant and Pittsburg Thrift Stores and oversees two full time staff, two part time staff and nearly 60 store volunteers.

Managing the thrift stores is a natural fit for Sharon. She worked in retail for a number of years prior to moving to East Texas in 2006, plus she understood the purpose of hospice. Sharon and her husband moved from the Houston area to help care for her husband’s family. Both her father-in-law and brother-in-law were patients of Cypress Basin Hospice and her mother-in-law needed the support of family during this difficult time.

Sharon truly enjoys going to work each day. She credits this to a great staff and fantastic volunteers. Thrift Store volunteers are the reason the stores are open today. In 2009, Thrift Store volunteers clocked an unbelievable 4,287 hours; that’s a savings of over $31,000 if volunteers were paid minimum wage. This savings, along with the revenue raised by each store (approximately $5 - $6,000 gross each month), allows Cypress Basin Hospice to continue providing quality care to its patients, whether or not they have a funding source.

You never know what you’ll find when you enter a Cypress Basin Hospice Thrift Store. In addition to gently worn clothing, the stores also have name brand clothing with the tags still on them. You can find an entire outfit, a great blouse and pants, shoes, a cute little purse and of course, your bling bling (accessories), all for a fraction of the cost of what you would pay in another store. Sharon Hale noted that most items are priced at approximately a quarter of their value. In addition to clothing, you’ll find children’s toys, house wares, furniture and more. Have a gift to buy for an upcoming occasion? You may just find it at the Cypress Basin Thrift Store.

Volunteers can be found at the thrift stores on a daily basis. Some stay a few hours, others are there from open to close. Their time is filled with sorting donated items and preparing and pricing them for the sales floor. Preparation includes cleaning items, washing clothes, mending clothing, washing dishes, ironing and more. “You can’t sell something if it’s not on the floor,” said Sharon. “Without our volunteers, there would be no way to process all of the donations.”

In addition to the many volunteers who “work the back,” there are numerous volunteers in the store, ringing up sales and assisting shoppers. Dorothy Kyle, a long time volunteer, regularly volunteers twice a week despite chronic back pain, ringing up sales and chatting with the regular shoppers.

The work can be hard and laborious but staff and volunteers agree that it is a labor of love. “We’re truly one big happy family,” said Mt. Pleasant Store Manager Sara Sloan. Volunteers Nellie Heron (pictured to the left) and June Lass (below right) agreed. “There’s a lot of laughter and we all really like each other.”

Both also agreed that they liked feeling as though they are doing some good for someone in need. Many of the volunteers have been directly touched by the work of Cypress Basin Hospice or know someone who has used their services. James Stepp began volunteering after his neighbor was a patient of Cypress Basin Hospice. He and his wife were impressed with the care the staff gave their neighbor and wanted to give back to such a great organization. Shortly after retiring, both James and his wife became regular volunteers.

Volunteers have truly been the heart of the Cypress Basin Thrift Stores since the very beginning. Carolyn Circles is one of the volunteers who has given of her time since the day the store opened on December 7, 1995. She was one of 20 or so volunteers who attended an informational meeting shortly before the store opened. Her husband had been a Cypress Basin Hospice patient and she wanted to give back to the organization that had done so much for her family. Now, nearly 15 years later, Carolyn can be found every Thursday washing, sorting, and pricing clothes. She appreciates that her efforts are allowing Cypress Basin Hospice to admit patients who do not have the means to pay for their services.

Volunteers and staff never know what they will find as they begin sorting through a bag of donations. Many days volunteers can be heard saying “Ohhhh, look at this. I have to have it.” Other times, they open a bag that was actually meant for the trash. But, even the “trash” can often time still result in income. Clothing that is wearable but not sellable (ripped and stained beyond repair) can be put aside and sent to third world countries. Once a month, a company arrives at the Pittsburg Thrift Store and hauls away a trailer full of clothing, shoes, blankets, etc., that have been deemed beyond repair. The company pays the Cypress Basin Hospice Thrift store approximately $250 for each trailer. A company has also been identified that will purchase “unsellable” metal or brass items. The term “One man’s trash is another person’s treasure” couldn’t be more fitting.

While the Thrift Stores have nearly 60 volunteers on record, more volunteers are always welcome, and needed. Many times, donations come in far faster than they can be processed. Volunteers are especially needed at the Pittsburg store. “Volunteers are our angels,” said Sharon. “We couldn’t run the stores without them.”

If you would like to be the newest “angel” and volunteer your time for the thrift store, you are encouraged to call Christine Bilbrey, Volunteer Coordinator/Event Planner at 903-577-1510 or contact the stores directly. The Mt. Pleasant store is located at 107 N. Madison (next to Laura’s Cheesecake) and can be reached by calling 903-572-1898.

The Pittsburg store is located on 271 next to the Civic Center (601 S. Greer). The phone number for the Pittsburg store is 903-856-7808. Store hours at both locations are Tuesday-Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Cypress Basin Hospice, a community owned, non-profit organization, has been serving Northeast Texas since 1986. This health care agency is dedicated to providing supportive services to patients and their families who are undergoing the effects of life-limiting illness. Cypress Basin Hospice services are provided 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information, visit www.cbhospice.org.