By KATH GANNAWAY
VOLUNTEERS at one of the oldest and most productive op-shops in the Yarra Valley are celebrating a major transformation.
The Yarra Junction op-shop started out as a fund-raiser for the local bush nursing hosital.
For more than 40 years op-shop volunteers have valiantly struggled along in cramped conditions that were far from ideal for them, or their customers.
When a room in the same building became vacant in June, they swooped and the result is a roomy, well organised space for books, knick-knacks and clothes.
“What we have now is just great,” said Noella Weston whose mother Jessie McLeish was one of the founding members, and who can remember buying baby clothes for her baby daughter 36 years ago.
The op-shop was a great supporter of the hospital and over more recent years has provided grants for almost every local community group.
In a group exercise, Noella and fellow volunteers Helen Cole and Margaret Coles reel off some of the organisations they have distributed money to – Powelltown Football Club, Gladysdale Hall Committee, the local nursing home, the Cemetery Trust, CFAs and ambulance, cricket and football clubs, and tennis, pre-schools, the dog training people, Upper Yarra Secondary College chaplaincy … and the list goes on.
“We’ve just given $3000 to the local ambulance for a new piece of equipment they wanted,” Margaret said.
She said the volunteers were all enjoying the opportunity more space has given them to re-organise and display stock to advantage.
“It’s great to have room to move, and to sort the huge amount of donations that come in here from the community, without falling over each other,” she said.
