By Pam Kiriakidis
KILMORE District and Health Hospital Op Shop, behind the streets of Kilmore on Albert Street, is still taking donations to provide for the community and hospital.
Kilmore residents and coordinators Elizabeth Stewart and Annie Brooks operate the shop with a few volunteers, taking donations, and working together to make changes after the pandemic.
Former Dianella Hostel volunteer, Ms Stewart joined the team 12 months ago, re-arranging the area for volunteers to be able to have a seat and turned the old storeroom into a linen room.
“It’s just fresh eyes, I came in with a new perspective,” Ms Stewart said.
Ms Brooks who have volunteered for the last 15 years said the fresh perspective enhanced the structure of the shop.
“For me, before Elizabeth came on board, I was trying to make some changes but nobody to bounce off,” Ms Brooks said.
Before running the shop part-time, Ms Brooks was a former nurse at Kilmore’s hospital where she first volunteered at the op shop for once a week.
The op shop first opened on November 3, 2005, through the annual garden fair at the hospital’s grounds to support the local hospital.
Ms Brooks said resident Denise Lee was the first to unlock the doors on Albert Street 18 years ago to store the left-over donations and support the hospital, as well as the aged-care facilities, including Caladenia Nursing Home and Dianella Hostel.
“They had overflow from the garden party, nowhere to store the stuff, so they decided open this for a short time, sell off the stuff from the field that they had up there,” Ms Brooks said.
Over the years, the shop has raised almost $400,000 towards the hospital, and received wish lists by the hospital or aged-care facilities to fund for more equipment.
Ms Stewart said few customers are not aware of the shop’s contributions to the hospital.
“One of the main things that maybe a lot of people don’t realise is that all our profit goes to the hospital, so that’s a big deal,” Ms Stewart said.
Till this day, the op shop is still known for its warmth, as the volunteers find ways to have a laugh and communicate with customers that come through the tight-knit shop.
“We do get feedback from various customers about how they love coming in here because they always have a good laugh and everyone’s friendly,” Ms Stewart said.
Depending on the time of the month, the op shop gives away massive prizes through raffles that the public can purchase tickets at the front desk.
“We’ve got a great Christmas raffle at the moment, with seven prizes, five of them are hampers,” Ms Stewart said.
The Kilmore Hospital Op Shop opens on Thursday and Friday from 9am to 3pm, and Saturday from 9am to 12pm, at 40 Albert Street, Kilmore.
