Salvation Army Family Store celebration

ALBANY — The Salvation Army Family Store is perhaps one of the best-kept secrets in town. Unlike many other second-hand stores, the Salvation Army understands that the goods in the store were given free of charge for resale to fund the many programs of the Army and, in turn, price the merchandise so that families can afford to buy it.

Shoppers who are pleased with their first experience will return again and again.

Lts. James and Rebecca Sullivan have been the corps officers in Albany since the beginning of July. What the Sullivans found upon arrival to their new assignment was an involved and energetic advisory board.

One such board member is Terri Stumpe, owner of one of the city’s high-end boutiques, the Royal Collection. Asked how and why she became involved with the Salvation Army, Stumpe said, “I love helping people and see this opportunity as a way to serve the community.”

Advisory board member Harold Boling said he sees the potential to make life better for others through the Salvation Army. Boling was one of the daily workers on the canteen trucks that spent two weeks in the field providing food and water following January storms.

With the fresh eyes of the Sullivans, generous donations from the community and board members like Stumpe and Boling, the decision to renovate the Family Store was made and has progressed quickly. Floors were stripped of old wax and brought to a looking-glass shine. Walls and shelves have been painted and additional clothing racks added.

One of the most obvious changes to the store is the lighting. A local anonymous vendor donated new fixtures. Men from the Anchorage were involved in the installation, and Boling and his wife cleaned every fixture cover before they were put back.

“My wife and I cleaned all the covers with Windex and paper towels,” Boling said. “And, for the record, there are 59 of them.”

New ceiling tiles were yet another anonymously donated piece of the renovation project.

The Advisory Board also spent a couple of days cleaning out the warehouse and organizing merchandise. In addition to a big shine within the store, a new panel truck has also been purchased.

A celebratory ribbon-cutting will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday for the store and truck with board members, the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce and anyone else wishing to attend at 308 W. Second St. On Friday, the grand re-opening celebration for the store starts at 10 a.m. at that location.

An abundance of merchandise will be available to choose from, as well as door prizes throughout the day. The canteen truck will be open serving free hot dogs, chips and drinks.

New store hours will begin with the grand opening. Hours will be 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesdays-Saturdays.

For the uninformed, each week the Salvation Army has a “color of the week.” Clothing with the designated color tag is priced at just 99 cents. New for shoppers will be discounted merchandise all across the store in every department. For example, a lamp with the correct color price sticker will be one-half of the sticker price.

The public is encouraged to donate gently used items to be sold in the Family Store. These donations can include clothing, shoes, furniture, household items, linens, small appliances, books, collectibles, seasonal decorations and even vehicles. Of all the proceeds generated on site, 89 percent go right back into the Albany Salvation Army.

Most of the responsibility for day-to-day store operations is handled by Crystal Kegler. Kegler has been employed at the store for 27 years and has held the managerial position for the last nine years. She oversees one other full-time and two part-time clerks.

Kegler said that clothes and shoes remain the biggest-selling items, but furniture is always in demand.

Clothing that cannot be sold is baled into tight packages similar to the way cardboard is bundled for recycling. The monstrous machine that make bales of the clothing is in the warehouse. Each bundle weighs between 1,500-1,800 ponds and is sold to a recycler for 12-15 cents per pound. These funds also go back into Albany’s unit to keep the work going.

During a tour of the warehouse, Kegler asked that a picture be taken of her warehouse workers.

“They work really hard and deserve recognition,” she said

Kegler also handles the scheduling for pick-up of donated goods.

“I explain to callers what can and cannot be picked up,” she said. “Leftover yard sale items are sometimes scattered about the yard and belong in the Dumpster more so than in our store. We certainly want donations, but the items must be usable.”

Every item that arrives for resale in the Family Store is checked for safety and cleanliness.

Mattresses and box springs with no holes, damage or stains are sanitized before being moved to the store for sale. Washers, dryers, refrigerators and freezers in working condition are also accepted. No built-in appliances or gas appliances can be accepted.

Televisions must work and be less than five years old. All models have a date of manufacture on the back. Toys and infant items such as car seats, cribs and strollers must be clean and in good condition.

Staff is especially diligent regarding toys, primarily because of the number of recalls each year. Simple toys such as baby dolls, balls, stuffed animals and new-in-package toys are accepted. Bikes, helmets in good condition, toy boxes and certain top name-brands such as Fisher Price, Mattel and Little Tikes are, as a general rule, safe for donation and resell.

Large donations can be scheduled for pick-up by calling (229) 435-1428. This service is not to be considered a trash removal. Donated items must be in working order and worthy of reselling in the store.

The Salvation Army first came to Albany around 1895. Records from the early days are incomplete, but it is known that financial challenges caused the corps to close around 1912. Work resumed in February 1919 and has not stopped since. The challenges faced by that corps are much the same as today. Energy assistance was once a stack of firewood; now it’s a utility bill. The issues, however, really have not changed.

Then, as now, people need food. Then, as now, people need clothes. Then, as now, people need a place to sleep. Then, as now, physical and mental health issues are a part of everyday life. But, most important of all, people, then, as now, need to know that someone cares about them.

Albany’s Salvation Army does not receive funds from the Atlanta headquarters to feed two meals every day, six days a week, or to run the shelter. Nor are there dollars pouring in for personal hygiene items, bedding for the shelter, rental assistance, energy assistance, food boxes, deposit assistance or other services. There are no funds from any government entity local, state or federal to operate the canteen truck during times of crisis.

All the money required to run the Corps in Albany must be generated here.

Seasonally, one of the largest financial boosts comes from the Red Kettle drive. Bell ringers are all volunteers, and it does not take a mathematician to figure out the longer the kettles are hanging and the bells are tolling, the greater the donations will be.

If you or a group would like to ring the bell or have a kettle at your place of business, call Sullivan at (229) 255-6048.

Society admires a person who is thrifty. That person is seen as careful with his or her resources. Yet another trait so approved in others is generosity. A person who gives freely to the less fortunate did not, however, just wake up that way one day.

Generosity basically befalls a person for one of two reasons. As a child, pre-teen, adolescent or even as a young adult, the joy of giving was demonstrated by a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, a neighbor or a friend. Once that joy is experienced, giving often becomes a lifelong habit.

The second way people, young and not so young, learn about giving is being on the receiving end. A young mother in need of diapers will not soon forget the person, people or agency that came through in her time of need.

All over South Georgia are folks that were given assistance during the storms that seemed to never end this year. While perhaps unable to call by name just who it was that donated the money needed to feed their children or who passed out blankets, the thought has not been forgotten.

With ever-changing merchandise, a trip to the Salvation Army Family Store can be fun and fruitful. Whether it’s a piece of furniture, a coat, toys, craft items, dishes or even a towel warmer, come see what treasures await. If you have items to donate, simply drive to the back dock and someone will assist with the unloading.

Sullivan asks that any donations by check be designated as a gift specifically for the Albany unit.

“The Salvation Army is the oldest and largest recycler of goods in the United States,” Sullivan said.