Town & Country

C M Y K 4 WINNIPEg FREE PRESS, SATURDAY APRIL 26, 2014 P O R T A G E L A P R A I R I E •Stronger •Warmer •Cheaper •Local Block Package Discounts Box86,Cromer,MBR0M0J0 PHONE204-748-5560•FAX204-556-2220 INSULATED CONCRETE FORMS SALES & INSTALLATION CROMER VALLEY CONSTRUCTION CROMER VALLEY CONSTRUCTION ninettehotel@mts.net ninettehotel.com NinetteMotorHotel 320LakeStrWest,Ninette,MB Ph.204-528-3572 Licensedrestarauntwithpatio Licensedrestarauntwithpatio Beverageroomwithlargedeck, Beverageroomwithlargedeck, vendor,steakpit,VLT's vendor,steakpit,VLT's Singleanddoubleroomswith Singleanddoubleroomswith SatelliteTVandFreeWi-Fi SatelliteTVandFreeWi-Fi Closetocampground,beach, Closetocampground,beach, YachtClubandstore YachtClubandstore RVHitches GNBall Flip&Store You'reAlwaysaLeaderPullingATrailer! Brandon 204-725-8580 Rivers 204-328-5325 Kenton 204-838-2326 Hamiota 204-764-2259 Minnedosa 204-867-2679 Neepawa 204-476-2301 Carberry 204-834-3356 Souris 204-483-3249 Hartney 204-858-2038 Virden 204-748-1122 ShoalLake 204-759-2029 -EssoLubes -FullLineHerbicide -Seeds -LiquidFertilizers -GranularFertilizers -NH3Fertilizers -CropInputConsulting -CustomApplication -GPSSoilTesting www.redferns.ca ProfessionalsProvidingProducts,Service,Equipment,andExpertise. Bus.(204)523-5667 Fax (204)523-4596 TolFree1-800-325-8066 Box487 442NorthRailwayStreet Killarney,MB R0K1G0 •hardwoodfloors•carpet•vinylflooring•ceramictile•windowcoverings UnitB-56RoyalRoadNorth PortagelaPrairie,MBR1N1V1 Ph:(204)240-PCRC(7272) www.PortageCRC.com Whatyoucandotohelp: • Volunteerandadoptablocktokeepclean • Joinaclean-upthatisalreadygoingon • Gotgraffiti?HaveitpaintedoverforFREE! ContactthePCRCtogetinvolved! KeepingPortageBeautiful! Stuart Briese, MLA Agassiz Constituency CONSTITUENCY OFFICE: Neepawa Phone: 476-3736 Fax: 476-3462 Email:stubriese@mymts.net P.O.Box23 Neepawa,MB R0J1H0 ► Quality window, door and sunroom products ► MB based manufacturing facility ► On-time delivery and great service TRAINING ● QUOTING PROGRAM ● SALES MATERIALS FREE FOR YOU! CALL MIKE OR KEN @ 1-877-832-5580 info@pioneerwindow.com www.pioneerwindowanddoor.com Events,Movies, Attractions& Community Informationcan befoundat wwwglenboro.com TOLLFREE1-866-785-1051 ProudlyservingPortagelaPrairie andBrandondailyfromWinnipeg Check out our website at www.redrivermessenger.com for further details W e want to make the store feel like a second home. We have people who come to hang out here every day. Loitering is not a bad thing for us," he says. "You're much more than your wallet here. You're a face, a name, a person and a story." During the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic games, Hamm saw the opportunity to host a community party. "We decided to use a lot of our Olympic- themed items to decorate the store. We put out extra TVs, distributed bags of popcorn and shared fair-trade coffee, chocolate and fruit. We borrowed a large-screen TV from Sears," he says. "There was quite a nice crowd out for the women's gold medal hockey game, and the curling as well." The store offered discounts to customers whenever a Canadian athlete won a medal. Our athletes did well, and the store gave away almost $3,000 dollars worth of merchandise. "It made our customers feel like they were winning something too," Hamm says. "The Olympics were a chance to put everything on pause and enjoy the moment. We were also able to give back to the community." Paying it forward in the community is a habit at the shop. The store supports half a dozen local charities each year. Recently, staff joined forces with the Portage District general Hospital Foundation to hold Charity Day. "We put up some of our nicer, newer items for sale," Hamm says. "We are so dependent on the generosity of the people in the Portage la Prairie area. We love to give back to them." As part of the day's events, a video reader that had been donated to the MCC Thrift Shop was passed on to personal care facility Douglas Campbell Lodge in honour of one of the thrift store's most faithful volunteers, Peter Hamm. Although Hamm — who just turned 101 — is legally blind, he helps with sorting and folding plastic bags for use in the store. After the success of the Olympic celebrations, Hamm hopes to hold similar special events during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off in Brazil on June 12. "We'll be featuring a new product in the fair- trade world — fair-trade soccer balls," he says. "We would like to make some presentations of these soccer balls to local schools." Hamm would like to see Portage la Prairie become a fair-trade town. To celebrate the store's 30th anniversary last year, he made presentations to city council and the store delivered bags of fair-trade goods to 30 local businesses. "The first fair-trade town was in England. The town committed to serving fair-trade goods to their own employees with a certain amount of retail support. Stores had to agree to carry fair-trade products," he says. "We already have sufficient support among retailers here in town. The pieces are starting to come together on their own." gimli is a fair-trade town, and Brandon is headed toward certification. When you buy a fair-trade item, you can be sure the people who produced it received a fair price for their work, Hamm says. "There's so much poverty, injustice and strife in the world. We have a tremendous amount of buying power in this country. Where we put our money shapes the world around us," he says. "Buying fair-trade goods says that we care about the people who are at the other end of the product. We have an opportunity to make a difference in this world through our purchases." There are 16 MCC Thrift Stores in Manitoba. They all promote fair trade and raise money for the Mennonite Central Committee's relief work around the world. Last summer, MCC Manitoba executive director Ron Janzen bicycled to each store as part of the MCC Manitoba Thrift Shop Re- Cycle. During Janzen's visits to thrift stores from Brandon to Riverton, he raffled off a new bicycle to raise funds for restorative justice in Manitoba. "This was a fun way to promote the work of the MCC Thrift Shops in Manitoba. We also encouraged people to purchase used items instead of buying new all the time," Hamm says. The Portage la Prairie store has 12 full-time and part-time employees, along with about 100 volunteers, many of whom have been with the store for all of its 30 years. "We get to know our customers and they become friends and extended family for us," Hamm says. "Lots of friendships have developed. This is not just a thrift store." ❙ PAying it forwArd MCC Thrift Shop gives back to Portage community By Holli Moncrieff For the Free Press photos courtesy of Portage MCC Thrift Shop Loitering is not normally encouraged in retail stores, but the Portage MCC Thrift Shop is hardly your average store. Manager Kevin Hamm actually encourages people to hang out at the shop. paying it fOrWard in the cOmmunity is a habit at the shOp. the stOre suppOrts half a dOzen lOcal charities each year. recently, staff jOined fOrces With the pOrtage district general hOspital fOundatiOn tO hOld charity day. "

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