While Geri Jensen announces that the Cook County Chamber of Commerce received a gift of $999.19 for the Canine Eddy project, Deputy Paul Spry congratulates Eddy with a hand/paw shake.
“This has been a record-setting year,” said Cook County Senior Center Director Bev Green as she addressed a roomful of enthusiastic people who attended the First & Second Thrift Store Payout Party held at 1 p.m. in the Senior Center on Wednesday, February 6.
Thirty-seven Cook County nonprofits received a total of $89,402 from 2018 sales at First & Second, which is run by volunteers. Last year $79,792 was distributed back to the community.
Since July of 2007, First & Second Thrift Store has donated more than $600,000 and all of it has helped build and fund programs and organizations that make a difference in the county.
While the number of volunteers was down this year—there were 56 compared to 65 in 2017—the hourly payout was $18.25 in 2018 compared to $17.50 in 2017. Each volunteer directs his or her “earnings” to one or more nonprofits that reside within Cook County.
While representatives from schools and churches and other nonprofit organizations came up front to get a check, one recipient was led into the room on a leash and collar. That was Cook County Sheriff ’s Department Deputy Eddie, a German shepherd bred in Slovakia, who is receiving ongoing training with his handler, Deputy Paul Spry, in narcotics detection, tracking, and patrol.
From 2007 to 2018, 920 volunteers put in 46,387 hours at the store. Not all volunteers are seen. Some work on days when the store is closed and help take in items that were donated, and some help pack items that can’t be sold and are sent to Goodwill.
Among top recipients at the payout party were the Senior Center, $18,692.56; Bethlehem Lutheran Church, $10,242.81; Grand Marais Playhouse, $9,517.38; St. John’s Catholic Church, $6,446.81; Great Expectation Foundation, $4,037.81; Violence Prevention Center, $3,951.13; Cook County Tennis Association, $3,891.81; Cook County Food Shelf, $2,678.19; Evangelical Free Church, $2,500.25; Cornerstone Community Church, $2,167.19; Library Friends Cook County MN. Inc., $2,016.63; Cook County Higher Education, $1,998.38; and the North Shore Music Association, $1,710.94.
At meeting’s end, Green thanked everyone for coming and pointed out that there was cake and coffee on hand. As people visited Green reflected, “One of the reasons the thrift store has continued to do so well is because we have lots of great volunteers and we have received lots of donations and gotten some real quality stuff.” Geri Jensen, another top volunteer who helped lead the payout, concurred with Green.
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