Office of the Bishop, West Valley Lutheran Thrift Shop Volunteers — Grand Canyon Synod of the ELCA

On the morning of August 13, 2024, the staff of the Bishop’s Office had the privilege of spending a day at the West Valley Lutheran Thrift Shop (WVLTS). The experience was nothing short of inspiring as our team joined forces with the store’s dedicated volunteers and contributed to a ministry that has supported countless ELCA missions and local nonprofits with over $10 million in donations, including our office.

Our day began with a warm welcome from the WVLTS team. With over 35,000 square feet of retail space and more than 350 volunteers, the thrift store runs like clockwork thanks to the hard work and dedication of its staff and volunteers. We were eager to pitch in, knowing that our efforts would support the store’s larger mission.

We left the West Valley Lutheran Thrift Shop deeply grateful for the experience and even more grateful for the important role this ministry plays in our community. The dedication of the volunteers, some of whom have been with the shop for over 20 years, is a testament to the power of ministry and the impact of collaborative efforts.

We are already looking forward to our next visit. Below are some comments from each team member about their experience:

Bishop Deborah Hutterer: I got to clean the shelves of towels, sheets and placemats and sort the new items that came in. I appreciate the care that goes into making sure things on the floor look good so they are appealing to customers. And I am grateful for the patience of the regular customers with the new customers!

Rev. Jacqueline Pagel, assistant bishop for candidacy and faith formation: I enjoyed hanging clothes and preparing them for sale. I wish I had time to shop.

Theresa Thornburgh, Director of Administration and Events: I got to work on the ‘red door’ – where all the treasures are received and sorted. I have to admit there were some items I couldn’t identify! I was amazed by the hard work and dedication of the volunteers – they were amazing! It was a great team building activity for our staff and I hope we can come back soon!

Brian Flatgard, Communications Director: I got to walk around outside and help unload the cars that delivered goods. They have perfected the drop-off system. I was amazed at how many volunteers it takes to run the store so efficiently. I was even more impressed by the good spirit of every single person there. I want to come back and do more volunteer work!

Rev. Dan Potaznick, Director of Generosity and Strategic Development: Pastor Phil Gustafson and I were assigned to the “man cave,” an area that typically stores sporting goods and recreational items for people of all genders. While sorting through golf clubs and bags to place on the floor, we found two vintage bags that were selling for over $200 on eBay, according to Google Lens.

After the golf clubs, I was offered the challenge of pumping up a long-neglected bike and testing its brakes. After nearly running over Brian in the parking lot, I discovered that the brakes actually worked, so I fixed the chain and we put oil in the gears. I hope this bike can bring joy to one lucky person in Sun City this winter.

The best part, however, was seeing friends from several Lutheran churches across the valley who were volunteering that day, and making new friends who had never been to a Lutheran church before.

Rev. Patricia Reed, Transition Coach: I was fortunate to work with Theresa Thornberg and Brian Flatgard at the red door, which is the entrance for donated items. The donations kept coming all morning. It was fun to see the newly donated items and know that one’s “junk” would become treasures for Synod ministries. Some items really are treasures. One of the volunteers is assigned to identify old or valuable items that will be auctioned separately to raise even more money for the ministries. We left the store grateful to the volunteers and thrift store staff for a job well done.

Rev. Phil Gustafson, Transition Coach: The greatest blessing I have experienced during my time at the Lutheran Thrift Store has been the blessing of the many volunteers who ensure that quality items are displayed for sale in the store. The enthusiasm and care with which these volunteers process and display the goods has deeply impressed me.

Solveig Muus, Director, Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona: I had a great time at WVLTS today – time flew by! I had the privilege of working with Barb in the home decor and housewares department. We priced and cleaned the merchandise, priced a few hundred items, and strategically placed them by category on the sales floor. We wrote a “K” on pre-printed price tags to indicate the month the merchandise was delivered (K for August) – I wonder how they use this information? With tags all price ranges from 25¢ to $25 – “No! We never charge anything 25¢! Not even the crappiest thing” – which tag did you use over and over until it finally ran out? 50¢. I guess it’s true what my mom says, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

It was fun meeting the volunteers who came by to inspect our wares. “Are there any antiques that need special attention?” (Some collector frogs came in, which we snatched up to get expert pricing.) “Is that Limoges? Oh, never mind, it’s cracked.” “Is there anything valuable to take off the line before the customers see it?” (Barb grabbed a cowboy-style wrought iron stand for her son’s house and I chose a Mexican Tonala terracotta quail.) The self-proclaimed “house historian” came by while Barb was gone; she questioned my $6 label on a crystal decanter and, after lifting the stopper a few times in her hand, suggested that $8 was a better bet. When Barb returned, Barb good-naturedly suggested she take care of her own beeswax. I suppose that happens a lot.

Seriously, I had a blast and learned a lot from these hard-working volunteers. “Really? This glass votive cup gets 50 cents?” “Oh! Then put a candle in it!”

Autumn Byars, Hunger Advocacy Fellow: I have shopped at the West Valley Lutheran Thrift Store many times over the years and it was wonderful to get the chance to see a behind-the-scenes look at the operation!

I spent the morning preparing donated clothing for display with Pastor Jacqui Pagel. WVLTS is known for selling high quality clothing, so each piece is carefully inspected. I was given a clothing rack and checked each piece for damage or stains before making a label. On each label, I wrote the size of the item and chose a price based on the price list on the table. Then I attached the label to the item. After the clothing was inspected and labeled, it was moved to another rack where it was steam cleaned before being moved to the racks in the floor. This reminded me of my summer jobs at the mall!

While I was working, I had the opportunity to chat with the two volunteers who manage the clothing donations. One even remembered me from when I visited Lord of Life Lutheran with the Lutheran Campus Ministry at ASU!