Celebrating one year in Carlyle is the Second Chance Thrift Store. Nestled between Michael’s Coffee Shop and the RIBC. To mark this occasion they will be hosting a storewide half price sale on Friday, Sept. 16, with cake and coffee throughout the day.
“The year was great and we really built momentum,” Shelley Boyes, Director of Choose Life Ministry, said. “We opened in September, so we missed cottage season, but throughout the winter we had a lot of donations and our sales were good, then with cottage season things really picked up. It was really nice.”
The funds raised at Second Chance Thrift Store, however, are focused on a larger picture.
Boyes started the store, which is an expansion of one in Estevan, as part of the non-profit organization Choose Life Ministry. The ministry was founded on the foundations of love, trust, acceptance, freedom, and excellence.
Choose Life was founded in 2012, which is focused on providing women in need with assistance, offering them a second chance at life. For Boyes, she wanted to offer a place to help young women and girls with life controlling issue such as depression, abuse, and abuse of drugs and/or alcohol.
The efforts being put forth by the ministry are to renovate a large stone house that can provide 20 women a safe place to stay and prepare over six months to re-enter the world.
“We’re almost finished renovating,” Boyes explained. “We were delayed because of a lack of funds, but we only need about $50,000 to finish the house. Our goal is to open at the end of this year.”
Boyes added that the efforts of the ministry are supported by the sales of the Second Chance Thrift Stores in Carlyle and Estevan, while a third one will be added to Weyburn soon as well.
“Our main fundraising banquet will be held on Friday, September 23,” Boyes stated. “This year we have entertainment by Rory Allen and tickets can be found at the store in Estevan, inquire in Carlyle at the store, or contact me.”
Overall, Boyes is very happy with how things have been going for the Second Chance Thrift Stores and with the Choose Life Ministry’s mission to provide women in need with assistance. Although they are in need of more volunteers to work at the shop in Carlyle, if anyone is interested they can contact Boyes at 306-485-7590.
For more information visit www.chooselifeministry.ca or stop in at the Second Chance Thrift Store.
