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Serve: Real Men DO Thrift

By June 24, 2016 February 18th, 2018 No Comments

Real Men DO Thrift

By Danielle O’Brien

The St. John XXIII Thrift Store has grown in leaps and bounds since it’s renovation in 2010. The store’s great success in contributing tens of thousands of dollars to students’ Catholic Education is largely because of the efforts of the store’s staff, volunteers and donors.

The volunteers who work at the St. John XXIII Thrift Store (Yes, volunteers- they don’t get paid) have played a vital role in that growth. They are the smiling faces the customers see when they walk into the store and their hands (and muscles) are what load the sold items into customers’ vehicles. When the lifting gets too heavy, or when a furniture piece needs to be moved or refinished, the men who volunteer answer that call.

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Their hard work is simply invaluable.

And while St. John XXIII Thrift Store is fortunate to have the man-power it does today, that doesn’t mean the store couldn’t use a few more hands. Not sure what that entails? Parishioner and Thrift Store Volunteer, Guy Fragnoli will show you the way.

Danielle O’Brien: Tell us a little bit about how you got involved with volunteering at the St. John XXIII Thrift Store.

Guy Fragnoli: We’ve lived in the area for almost five years now. We’ve lived all over the country and had always been active in the Catholic Community. When we moved to Fort Myers, I was retired and I wanted something to keep me occupied, so I thought- volunteering. I saw an announcement in the St. John XXIII bulletin that the St. John XXIII Thrift Store was looking for volunteers. I inquired and now my wife and I have been there for three years. I love it! It’s been great.

DOB: How often do you volunteer at the St. John XXIII Thrift Store and what are some tasks you do during your shift?

GF: I work two four-hour shifts a week: Monday mornings and Wednesday afternoons. I have a variety of duties at the store, which I like because I’m not doing just one thing during my shift. During my volunteer hours, I work the cash register and use my man power to assist with loading and unloading items into and out of cars. I’ll also help with arranging furniture. In addition, I’m responsible for updating the Craigslist items.

DOB: What surprised you about volunteering at the St. John XXIII Thrift Store?

GF: I thought it would be very regimented. I thought there wouldn’t be much flexibility. And while I wasn’t looking to have a grand ol’ time, I was hoping that I could establish some relationships with some people. To my surprise and comfort, I quickly learned the Thrift Store is very flexible. My wife also works on Wednesday afternoons. On Wednesdays during season, a group of volunteers get together and go out to dinner. So in return, we’ve gotten some really great relationships through volunteering our time.

DOB: Do you think it takes a lot of knowledge about miscellaneous products in order to work at the thrift store?

GF: Normally, I’ll arrive for my shift about 20 minutes early to do a store walk-through just to see what the store has on the floor and what has been sold since my last shift. I’ll make a mental note for when customers come in or call. I also look for what items may be worth listing on Craigslist.

DOB: You sound like a retail expert! What is your background?

GF: Actually, not retail! I was the Logistics Director for Kodak out of Rochester, NY. I managed all the warehousing, transportation and customer service operations for the U.S. and Canada. So, I guess I have a lot of experience in people interaction and customer service. In return, that has been a big benefit as I work with both volunteers and customers at the St. John XXIII Thrift Store.

DOB: Some may say that thrift store shopping and working at a thrift store may be a ‘woman thing’. Do you disagree?

GF: Sometimes customers are a little surprised to see me working, but I think they appreciate seeing both men and women volunteering at the St. John XXIII Thrift Store. We have a good group of men who work at the store and the women volunteers really appreciate having us around to help with the heavy-lifting and other tasks. We even have a gentleman who refinishes the furniture we get in. Sometimes, what we receive may need a little work and this particular volunteer has the furniture looking brand new by time he’s finished with the piece. We also have another gentleman who is really good at electrical work, so if something like a television is donated, but needs a minor repair before we can sell it, he will fix it. There are so many opportinities to volunteer at the Thrift Store.

Would you like to volunteer at the thrift store? Contact the Parish Office at 239-561-2245 to begin the volunteer process. Already a St. John XXIII volunteer? Contact Cynthia at: john23thrift@gmail.com Want to check out the St. John XXIII Thrift Store?

St. John XXIII Thrift Store is located at:
15200 South Tamiami Trail #110
Fort Myers, 33908
Monday – Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm

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