Town & Country

2 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, SATURDAY APRIL 23, 2016 P O R T A G E L A P R A I R I E M C C T H R I F T S H O P Killarney, MB 204.523.8712 Visit our 2,500 sq. ft. showroom Custom Cabinetry . Design Consultants . Professional Installation Quartz . Granite . Laminate Countertops . Sinks . Faucets info@creativekitchensmb.ca / ww w w ww w .creativekitchensmb.ca For more information Log on to: www.killarney.ca There's No Better Place! Don't miss these upcoming events: • May 6 - Rippin' & Roarin' Bull Riding • June 4 - Town Wide Yard Sale • Jun 24 & 25 - Summer Blast & Fair Days • July 1 - Canada Day Fireworks & Celebration • July 9 & 10 - Prairie Pioneer Days • July 15 & 16 - Beach Festival • July 30 - Killarney Harv r est Antique Auction Sale • July 30 & 31, Aug. 6 & 7 - Litt t le Irish Downs Harness Racing • Aug. 19 & 21 - Dubs at the Lake VW V Car Show • Aug 26 & 27 - Sidewalk Sale Days TOLL FREE 1-866-785-1051 Serving Minnedosa, Neepawa and Gladstone daily from Winnipeg Check out our website at www.redrivermessenger.com for further details • ••• ••••• Visit our website www.hamiota.com www.treherne.ca Campground Reservations: trehernecamping.ca VISIT TREHERNE! Home of the Run for the Hills Marathon held annually in September. Situated in the scenic Tiger Hills, Treherne offers a wide variety of shops, activities and tourist attractions including: * Aquatic Centre with New Aqua Climb Wall * Full Service Campground * Nine Hole Golf Course * Walking Trails * Museum * Glass Bottle Buildings Check out our local handmade gifts! Visit the HERITAGE Art Gallery Hamiota, MB. OPEN MON-WED-FRI 1-4 P.M. SUMMER TEAS Thurs 2-4 (June-Sept) Deloraine Winchester Tourism & Recreation S ummer Events JUNE 25 TH DELODAZE JULY 15 & 16 TH Deloraine Fair & Races AUG 20 TH Cruisin For Cash For more information about all upcoming summer events visit www.delowin.ca Volunteers have ranged in age from 12 to 101, and they help out in any way they can — even pitching in for a celebratory potluck on April 4. Visions of Independence volunteers are regular contributors, tackling a variety of projects. Photo courtesy of Portage MCC P ortage MCC Thrift Shop manager Kevin Hamm has been with the shop for six and a half years, a vocation that runs in the family — nearly 20 years ago, his mom managed the shop. "Portage la Prairie has a very small Mennonite community, minute actually, and the majority of our volunteers do not have Mennonite connections so we are a much more eclectic mix with volunteers here from all walks of life from age 12 to our oldest volunteer who is 96," he says. "We had a gentleman here who volunteered until age 101 but he's not able to do so anymore — but we count him as one of ours." Hamm says there are about 120 active volunteers who help with jobs such as sorting donations, appliance testing, pricing, display, cashier work and repairs of some items. There is one area where they could use a little extra, more specialized help. "We often need help to test higher-end electronics such as computers and stereo equipment," he says. Hamm says many volunteers put in long, long hours not only at the shop, but at many other local organizations as well. "Many of them volunteer in the soup kitchen, and local care homes — even after they've worked their regular full-time jobs," he says. "The level of commitment is just so very special to me. There are so many who do so, so much over and above what people see." The Thrift Shop also pairs with other community organizations who benefit from the opportunity to volunteer. "Visions of Independence regularly brings in volunteers who have physical or developmental challenges, accompanied by staff, and we give them work projects and they are a great help to us," he says. The store also provides volunteer placements for those doing the Fine Options program as well as local middle schools, high schools and adult continuing education programs. There is also an important social component for those who volunteer. "One thing I've learned in my time here is the significance of volunteering for the physical and mental health of the volunteers who are outside of the regular workforce," says Hamm. "We are providing a real opportunity for them to have a meaningful place of service, a place where they can feel that they are contributing to the local community and to a greater cause as well." In recent months, Hamm has challenged other local organizations and businesses to support another "greater cause" of their own. "There has been a lot of talk among the local media and the community about the value of shopping local and Portage, like other places, has a bit of a struggle right now because we are in between two major centres, Winnipeg and Brandon," he says. "Most of us don't think very much about a 45-minute drive to Winnipeg and a lot of businesses have felt the pinch, so there has been some talk of local citizens buying more of their goods locally." Hamm says he was challenged by a board member to source more of the shop's supplies locally, even if it meant paying a little more. It made a lot of sense. "We buy a lot of supplies as a business, so we try to do that and we thought that it would be good to put that out as a public challenge to other businesses to share the responsibility to try and source more product and supplies from other local businesses," he says. Hamm would like to keep the conversation going, and so would Cindy McDonald, executive director of the Portage & District Chamber of Commerce. She says the buy local message and challenge is one that the community can take to heart. "The chamber encourages all our members to take on this challenge and share with us their commitment so we can share with the community," says McDonald. Hamm says the chamber has passed on the message to its members and local media have furthered the discussion. "It's a bit of a hot topic right now and we'd like to encourage local businesses to pick up the challenge and make the commitment to that as much as possible." The Portage MCC Thrift Shop is located at 149 Saskatchewan Ave. East. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ portagemcc or thrift.mcc.org/portage-mcc- thrift-shop/home. ❙ Stewardship can mean a lot of things. It can refer to a wise use of resources or the care of the environment or community. It can refer to care of neighbours and those in need. Since 1983, with the help of dedicated volunteers, the Portage MCC Thrift Shop has been fulfilling those many facets of stewardship by providing affordable, gently used or recycled items to the community and in turn, using the proceeds from the sale of those items to meet needs both locally and globally. "One thing I've learned in my time here is the significance of volunteering for the physical and mental health of the volunteers who are outside of the regular workforce," says Hamm. By Wendy King For the Winnipeg Free Press HELPING HANDS GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

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