The Thrift Shop will close for a week

The Thrift Shop will close for a week and reopen on Tuesday, July 12 restocked and refreshed. There are boxes of "new" merchandise ready to refill the shelves and racks; summer clothing, shoes, purses, accessories, bathing suits, toys and books. The store will remain open until the end of August on its regular schedule.

When the volunteers strip the shop of whatever is left after the bag sales, all the clothes are donated to other worthy charitable organizations. They include the Calvary Lighthouse House of Blessing in Lakewood, New York City Rescue Mission in New York, the Elizabeth Coalition to House the Homeless in Elizabeth, St. Mary's Food Pantry in Plainfield, and the American Red Cross home pickup and recycle bins.

Nothing goes to waste. This year we have a number of wedding gowns that did not sell. They will be donated to the Brides Across America in N. Andover, Ma. It is an organization that donates wedding dresses to brides-to-be who are marrying someone in the military.

The Thrift Shop is volunteer organization whose members donate 2 1/2 hours of their time each week and three Saturdays a year. The board and members meet once a month on the second Monday of the month to discuss store activities.

The Service League is a corporation that has been in business operating the Thrift Shop for more than 38 years. This year, we donated $23,000 back into our local communities.

To join the Service League or find out more about us call the store at 908-322-5420 during opening hours or just stop in and say hello. Hours of operation are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.