The Abbotsford Bibles for Missions Thrift Store celebrated the opening of their new expansion on Saturday, Oct. 15.
Deputy mayor Patricia Ross and a large group of volunteers and customers were there for the ribbon-cutting to officially open the recently expanded facilities, located at 2337 West Railway St.
The construction for the renovation was completed in January of this year, and increased the size of the store from 10,000 to 14,000 square feet. A a large sorting and receiving area were added to better handle donations.
After construction was completed, the volunteers began the large task of re-organizing the store.
Because of the increased size of the store, it became difficult to continue being run exclusively by volunteers, so for the first time in 26 years, a full-time staff person – Kathryn Sobko – was hired to manage the location.
The store offers a wide variety of household items, and attracts shoppers from as far away as Vancouver and Vernon.
The store also offers a convenient place to drop off unwanted items, helping to keep thousands of pounds of products out of the landfill every month.
They also make a conscious effort to keep things affordable for people in the local community by keeping their prices low.
Bibles for Missions Thrift Store was started by a small group of Christians who wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. Funds raised at the store go towards Bible League Canada, which provides mission work around the world.
Today, there are more than 100 volunteers at the Abbotsford store, and the current group still includes a few of the original volunteers.