It may have been a little long in the coming but volunteers at the Tenterfield Westpac Life Saver Helicopter Rescue Service have just learned they achieved top op shop status for the month of September, and have the plaque to prove it.
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The recognition is awarded to the op shop demonstrating the biggest jump in monthly turnover compared to that of the previous year. In September the Tenterfield shop turned over $3389, a 112 per cent increase on that of September 2016.
Other op shops in the network are located at Lismore, Casino, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Ballina and Yamba.
The Tenterfield outlet regularly schedules a change-of-season sale which was held in September, helping to boost sales, but is enjoying an upwards trend in turnover generally. The op shop’s ‘Dodge’ Landers said the outlet is averaging just under $1000 a week.
While there’s no shortage of donations to support the rapid turnover, the volunteers will always happily accept more. Any excess is shipped to the coast for distribution to other centres. Donations not up to being displayed in stores is given to St Vincents de Paul from where it’s shipped to strife areas, as happened recently when bales of used clothing were dropped into disaster zones in the Philippines.
“Nothing goes to waste,” Mr Landers said.
The local arm of the Westpac Life Saver Helicopter Rescue Service support group held its annual general meeting on November 9, where it was announced that the group had raised $76,000 from catering stints and donations over the previous 12 months. This figure doesn’t include contributions from the op shop, which cleared $39,000 over the same period.
