Many Hands Thrift Shop: Here's the rest of the story

The following was provided by the Odessa Catharine United Methodist Church's Many Hands Thrift Shop.

Special to The Odessa File

ODESSA, July 27 -- When life hands you tough and necessary decisions to make, you hope the decisions you make are the right ones, the best ones.

In our current society, so many churches are experiencing weaning numbers of members and smaller worship attendance. Such was the case locally of the Catharine United Methodist Church. Because of this they asked their sister church, the Odessa United Methodist Church, to consider a merger. This meant many discussions, many opinions, many questions and many decisions to be made.

Through many months of meetings, with sometimes heated discussions, the merger was agreed to and formalized. There were many emotions flying, each church wanting to keep their identity and history. It was not economically possible for both churches to have full-time services due to the small numbers, which had brought about the need for the merger. When the merger was first completed, the only thing that continued for the Catharine building was temporary summer combined services.

As winter approached, more discussion by the finance committee and others as to what to do with the Catharine building continued, with many suggestions brought up. There were a number of costly repairs that needed to be made, so whatever the building was used for would need to generate enough income to warrant the expense of the repairs.

One of the ideas mentioned during the merger talks was a thrift shop. The Catharine church had been very successful with a few regularly scheduled rummage sales each year. It was felt there was a definite need in the community for inexpensive used clothing. The only formal proposal that was brought before the committee was a plan for a thrift shop and a community rescue room. The thrift shop would be open at least once a month and also house a section for items that would be available to any family that had lost its home for any reason or was in need of household items. However, the income from this venture, even with best-case numbers, was not enough to convince the finance team it would offset the amount of money needed to be put the building into service.

None of the suggested uses for the Catharine building were deemed to be cost-effective for the already financially challenged, newly merged Odessa Catharine United Methodist Church. After much discussion, soul searching, tears, arguments and hurt feelings it was decided that the only fiscally responsible thing that could be done was to sell the Catharine Church building. This was a very difficult decision. No one wants to sell a church, but there had been no other option that would not take down both churches financially in the end. Emotions aside, the bottom line was that the money was not there to keep both buildings, and the one in Catharine needed too many repairs. It was voted to put the Catharine church building up for sale.

Fortunately, the Catharine church was soon purchased by Tracy Gavich, who is currently using the building for her Barnyard Productions theatre company. Nothing could please the Odessa Catharine church family more than to have the building used in such a way by the community. The decision to sell, though very heart-wrenching for all, wound up with a beautiful ending. The church congregation is happy for Tracy; she has a home for her group in a wonderful resource for the local youth.

The idea of the thrift shop was still felt to be a need in the community by church member Sharon Stadelmaier. During the merger and building discussions, it had been suggested that even if Catharine was not a viable location for the thrift shop, why not try to do something at the Odessa building. The Odessa location would have limitations that did not exist at Catharine. For example, the shop could not be set up between days of operation, as would have been possible at Catharine.

Much thought and discussion as to how and where this could be done within the Odessa building was done. It was finally determined that thrift shop items could be stored between thrift shop days by using the fellowship hall and an adjacent room. Even though it meant that the thrift shop would have to be set up and taken down each month, there were many who said they would lend a hand with this mission project. And so the process began, starting with asking church and community members for donations to work toward getting the thrift shop open.

It was decided that the most reasonable time to open the shop was in conjunction with the Odessa Village Rummage Sale in August 2013. Since that date the thrift shop has been open one Saturday a month and has settled into the 2nd Saturday of each month as its normal day of operation. Hours of operation have varied since the initial opening, but regular hours are now set at 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day it is open.

Stadelmaier also hoped to have a supply of items set aside for families that had had a fire or who might need household items for various other reasons. A closet was established and filled with items within the thrift shop storage room that includes items such as linens, dishes, glasses, small appliances and cooking utensils for people who meet such unexpected limitations in life. The closet was filled with donations from church members during a “shower” that was held at the church. This “shower” involved church members choosing a tag from a tree which stated an item to purchase; the gifts were wrapped and then donated on the day that the name for the thrift shop and rescue closet were officially blessed by the church’s pastor, Sheila Price.

The names for the thrift shop and the rescue room were pondered and prayed over for many days by Stadelmaier. She really wanted them to reflect how this mission had come to be and how she wanted it to be seen by the community. In the end, what she had been looking for finally came to her. The “Many Hands Thrift Shop” and “Many Blessings Community Rescue Room” were blessed with these names.

A rolling rack was constructed by Clayt Sauberan. A clothing rack was donated by Bill Phoenix at Watkins Sporting Goods. Both of these items have proved very useful. In March the church signed up to receive a clothing donation shed from the St. Pauly group where items of clothing, shoes and linens can be deposited that are not acceptable to be donated to the thrift shop. "We are grateful to have this as another resource to offer the community, and welcome any donations from those community members willing to contribute." said Stadelmaier.

It has taken and continues to take many hands to keep the thrift shop running each month, and Stadelmaier says she is so grateful that the church family at Odessa Catharine United Methodist Church is always willing to lend time to this mission. She says she is equally grateful that the rescue room is ready; it has yet to be used, other than to donate a few small items and some clothes to a few families in need during the last year. The hope is that the thrift shop will be able to not only sustain itself but be able to provide funds to do other mission projects in the community.

As the thrift shop looks toward its second year, "we hope people will spread the word about the shop," said Stadelmaier. The shop has only gently used clothing, shoes and accessories, "but you will be pleasantly surprised by what you will see during your visit," she said. "We know there are many people in the community who will find wonderful items at the shop, and are unaware that this facility exists."

Most items are priced $1 and under. The shop welcomes any donations of gently used clothing from non-smoking homes.

Pictures in text:

Top: Two of the thrift shop's helping hands, Althea Carpenter, left, and Mary Benjamin.

Bottom: A rolling clothes rack was constructed by Clayt Sauberan. A clothing rack was donated by Bill Phoenix at Watkins Sporting Goods. (Photos provided)