Aunt Leah’s Volunteer: Alison Welty

Name: Alison Welty

Volunteer Position: Thrift Store Assistant

Volunteer Since: Christmas 2005

Alison Welty is one of many volunteers who donate their time to help support Aunt Leah’s Society. Alison is a volunteer with Aunt Leah’s Thrift Store and recently we sat down with her to ask her a few questions about herself and what motivates her to donate her time so generously.

Where are you from?
Omaha, Nebraska USA

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am semi-retired and I have a friend here so I spend a couple of months in the summer here and also a few weeks at Christmas time.

What kind of work have you done in the past (volunteer or other)?
I have never volunteered before. This is my first volunteer job. In Omaha I was a teacher and taught children from grades 1-4. I still do some substitute work for those grades, as well as art, library and the “Head-start” program in pre-school.

How did you hear about Aunt Leah’s and what made you decide to come and volunteer with us?
I was a customer at the previous thrift store location on Hudson Street in Marpole and I was happy when the Thrift Store moved to Marine Drive because it’s even closer to where I was staying. I came to the store one day and there was a sign on the door that said it was closed but it should have been open that day. I talked to the Manager and he explained that there had been a flood and they were cleaning up before they could open again. I asked if he needed any help and I have been volunteering here ever since.

Do you have a personal connection to our mandate (helping youth and moms who are vulnerable)?
I connect personally with what Aunt Leah’s does because I have worked with children all my life. In Omaha, 70% of the school population (450 kids) were in the Free or Reduced Lunch Program. These children had no books at home and needed a lot of help. I would spend about $2000/year of my own money to help pay for their school supplies. When I retired, I had over 2500 children’s books in my personal collection. I donated these books along with all of my teachers supplies to a school in New Orleans that had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Can you tell us a bit about how you feel about the work we do at Aunt Leah’s?
I love it. It’s a wonderful example of people helping people. I tell everyone about Aunt Leah’s.

Do you have a funny story about something that happened while you were volunteering?
A lot of families come to the store and they bring their children. I love children so they always come to me. Sometimes I show them the toys and keep them occupied while their parents are shopping. A little boy gave me a big kiss one day. The store is always clean and neat. The people are nice. It’s a nice place to be.

How does volunteering benefit you?
I like helping people. I have always been that way. I grew up on a farm and when someone needed help, the whole community would pitch in. I also like the good deals in the store!

How do you think we benefit from your efforts?
The Thrift Store needs people. Volunteers like me help to keep the store tidy and we keep the stock moving. Things like keeping all of the clothing tidy takes a lot of time. We are especially busy when people drop off donations and we have a lot of unpacking, sorting and pricing to do. More hands make it better.

What is your favorite thing about Aunt Leah’s/the Thrift Store?
Doing! Just keeping busy. I like the whole thing. Window displays, meeting people, even doing the dishes! It’s not like going to work. It’s good to do something to benefit other people. It’s fun.

What do you think about the Retail Training Program?
It’s a great program, a great opportunity.

Volunteering with Aunt Leah’s

Are you interested in volunteering with Aunt Leah’s or finding out about more ways that you can help? Please CLICK HERE to find out about all the ways you can help support Aunt Leah’s Independent LifeSkills Society.