by Judie Hansen and Jennifer Allen (Co-Managers)

Things were very busy in the Treasure House during December, and we added a two day  Sneak Peek sale and an Attic Treasures sale on the same day while the store was also open.  This process involved about 15 volunteers to set it all up and serve as clerks.  In contrast, we closed the store the last week of December due to uncertain weather and low temperatures.  In general, it was a fantastic year, despite being closed for a week in February and a week in June, and not admitting the public until May due to Covid.  Our total sales, including metal recycling, brought in $40,284.00.  We donated$18,500 each to the Rose Villa Foundation and Rose Villa, Inc., and enlisted the help of 50 resident volunteers.  Thanks to everyone for supporting our efforts by donating items and being such good shoppers.

Prior to March 2020, we spent many hours putting price tags on merchandise and trying to figure out what was fair.  When Covid came along and the public was not able to shop, we decided to go to a different system that Judie had used when hosting garage sales for her church.  We don’t put a price on anything (unless it is truly unique and rare), and we let the customers decide how much it is worth to them.   As we greet customers, we remind them that nothing is priced and they get to chose how much to pay, keeping in mind that sales benefit the Foundation.    This has sometimes been difficult because we do have a few regular customers from the public who are probably not paying what things are worth.  But we make up for it in volume, and keep stuff moving.  Believe it or not, it gets made up by those who are generous.  We have the good fortune of not having to pay for our inventory, bilding, or staff, so it is all profit.  Thank you Rose Villa, Inc., for keeping a roof over our head with heat, lights, and a restroom!  The volunteers sure appreciate not having to put those price stickers on everything.  (And those stickers and tags cost money.)

In addition to all the money we make, the Treasure House donates a lot of stuff to other charities, including Dignity and Peace, Goodwill, Red White and Blue, the Oak Lodge Library, the Clackamas Book Shelf, and a group needing household goods for Afghan refugees.  We also recycle cardboard, glass and metal, and provide free walkers, shower  chairs, crutches, and wheelchairs to both residents and the public.  There sure were a bunch of hip replacements this year!  And when we ended up with 15 aluminum walkers, we donated ten to the Milwaukie Senior Center.

Along with our terrific sales staff, we have teams that do bookkeeping, scheduling, communication, sorting, and transportation.    We can always use more volunteers.  To get hooked into the system, contact Marina McIntire – she needs those who want weekly or monthly shifts or want to be on the “oh my gosh I need someone right away” list.

Next time I will tell you how we prepare for Sneak Peek and Attic Treasures sales and how we deal with bulky furniture without a place to display it.