Anyone who has been reading any of these updates and highlights knows that the volunteer is the heartbeat of Catholic Social Services. They are basically a breed unto themselves as they’ve chosen to give of their precious time to serve others without financial incentive. They believe in the mission and know that by hitchin’ their wagon to CSS West, they can magnify their compassion and call, to help others in need. One such volunteer is Jan Schultz, a volunteer at St. Isidore Gift & Thrift in Imperial.
I asked Jan a few questions about her time with CSS and SIGT:
Q. How long have you been a volunteer?
A. I’ve been volunteering since St. Isidore’s opened in March 2010.
Q. What made you consider volunteering at St. Isidore?
A. I’ve always felt that we should all give back to our church and community, especially the church. That’s how I was raised, and then also attempted to pass that on to our children as they were growing, too. There was also a need to fill an afternoon time slot at St. Isidore’s that my work schedule allowed at that time. It didn’t hurt, either, that a good friend Bill Sullivan was the store manager.
Q. When you started volunteering at St. Isidore, what was your schedule like?
A. When I started volunteering, I was working full-time as managing editor of our local weekly newspaper. Our youngest, a son, was college-age at the time, with our two older daughters out on their own pursuing their professions. I was involved in several other volunteer activities, with a job that often meant news coverage of meetings and sports in the evenings. However, with a weekly newspaper schedule, print day was on early Wednesdays, so I was able to fit in my hours of volunteer work on Wednesday afternoons at St. Isidore’s. I continue to work that same time slot today.
Q. Any experiences you particularly recall you’d like to share?
A. While there are always interesting “finds” when you work behind the counter at a thrift store, one was especially memorable. There was a box of items, including jewelry, other personal items, and billfolds that I was pricing not long after St. Isidore’s opened, when one of the billfolds seemed especially thick. I was taken away from that task to wait on a customer, but returned to the pricing and that billfold. When I examined the billfold more thoroughly, thinking it was full of old coupons, I certainly was surprised to find several $100 bills inside. Attempts were made to find the possible owner, but no one remembered when it came in, so after the manager held onto it for several months, the “donation” helped with some remodeling of the larger storefront. St. Isidore’s was moving as well as having income for downtime during the move. Secondly, I also see my volunteerism not as "just a job” but as providing customers someone to talk to - I often sense that some of our customers aren’t there just to shop but come in for the social interaction - something they may not get in their everyday lives.
Q. Any other thoughts come to mind?
A. I’ve heard more than once from customers that they just “love, love” our store and often comment on the quality of what we have to offer there - and for that, we must thank the many generous people of the Imperial and Chase County area who make such nice donations for us to sell. Also, without a lot of clothing for older women available in the Imperial area, many in that age group express appreciation for the clothing we sell at St. Isidore’s.
Jan has been with us since we opened 16 years ago. She’s been dependable and great to work with. I might add, very patient since she’s put up with me for those 16 years... a feat that can only be outdone by my wife of almost 36 years. But it gets better. My wife is now slowing down some from her job of 36 years and spending more of her free time with the other volunteers and me at the thrift store. Have I been blessed? Am I being blessed? Yes! Blessed with the compassionate hearts of St. Isidore Gift & Thrift volunteers.
