Rolling Thrift Store seen as blessing

The season of giving was everywhere this past month, but was even more pronounced at the CSS is Us! Rolling Thrift Store, which came to McCook in early December.

The event was sponsored by Catholic Social Services of the Lincoln Diocese, St. Patrick's and St. Ann's Churches of McCook and Sacred Heart Church of Hayes Center.

While no specific numbers on those served is available, the public was crowded around the former Stage store in McCook, waiting for the doors to open both days.

Inside the 13,500-square-foot building, they found dozens of mattresses, large and small appliances, furniture and winter clothing. The 750 plastic sacks purchased for distribution were gone in 45 minutes.

Father Joseph Walsh, director of Catholic Social Services in Lincoln, said they also gave away a kitchen sink, garden hoses, a lizard cage, several chandeliers, a few black-and-white television sets and alligator skin cowboy boots.

When the thrift store wrapped up at noon on Saturday, Dec. 6, all that was left was a box of dishes, a couple of sacks of clothing and a few pieces of furniture already purchased and just waiting to be picked up, according to Fr. Walsh. The empty store just illustrated the enormous need that exists in the rural areas, he said.

"Not everyone who visited the store was in financial need, but most of the people who came were poor," Fr. Walsh said.

Even though there were nearly 75 pieces of furniture on the floor when the doors opened Friday, Dec. 6, Fr. Walsh made a trip to Hastings on Friday night to empty out the CSS warehouse of appliances and furniture. "We brought everything we could find," he said. "We could have easily brought more stuff to McCook."

CSS brought out four semi-trailer loads from Lincoln and Hastings, including a load full of appliances and furniture donated by Lord's Hardware of Indianola. In addition, an empty truck was available in the St. Patrick parking lot for local donations.

Neither the local parishes, nor CSS, benefits financially from the Rolling Thrift Store. Rather, it is a work of charity. "We're not doing it for a profit," he said.

He estimated that it costs approximately $7,500 to bring the Rolling Thrift Store to a town, with $5,000 of that attributed to labor costs. CSS spends at least three months preparing for a Rolling Thrift Store and sends out 10 employees from its Lincoln and Hastings' office for each thrift store.

"We learned a lesson early on: Don't make money on the poor," he said. "It ruins the spirit."

Any money earned over expenses at the thrift stores is seen as a blessing.

Nothing sold for more than $15, with most items either $2 or even free.

More than 500 letters were sent to people in Red Willow, Hitchcock, Frontier and Furnas counties. Fr. Brethour said he also saw people from Hayes Center and Eustis.

Attached to the letters were gift certificates, good for $10 in merchandise at the thrift store.

Walsh estimated that 15 to 20 percent of the 500 certificates sent were used, plus several people who came with their letters, but opted not to use them.

Father Gary Brethour with St. Patrick Church in McCook was initially awe- struck by the size of the crowd outside the doors on the first day. People were crowded around the front door of the building before the openings on both Friday and Saturday. "What came to mind was the need," he said.

"The need (in the community) goes deeper than we even realize" and it's not just material. "Spiritually, they are there by themselves. They just wanted to talk. For many, they are forgotten and lost in the crowd."

One lady in particular comes to the mind of Fr. Brethour. "All she wanted was a dresser because her stuff was stored in cardboard boxes on her floor," he said. She sat in a chair waiting for a dresser to be uncovered, to no avail.

With financial and material needs of local people thrust into the limelight, Fr. Brethour said the next step is a need for a long-term solution.

"A thrift store, the Pantry, getting involved and volunteering -- that's the answer," he said. "It's putting away hobbies and sports and doing something for someone else. The world is so caught up in themselves, it's nice to do things for other people."

Fr. Brethour thanked all those who helped by donating items and their time. He noted that along with St. Pat parishioners, there were friends of parish members and members of the community who came out to help. He also thanked CSS in Lincoln, which is already preparing for its next thrift store, scheduled for April in Wahoo.

Even with the four semi-trailer loads brought to McCook, "we already have enough stuff for the next thrift store."