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PAGE 2A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. JULY 1.2021
Christmas In July comes
to Pickens Thrift Store
Pickens County Community Thrift Store volunteers (left
to right) Fred Mullins, store dock master; Suellen Reitz,
special events coordinator; Terry “Sarge” Bishop, general
manager and John Padgett, floor manager, and the rest of
all of the volunteers welcome you to the renewed thrift store
for all your shopping needs. They especially want to invite
everyone to join them at the first annual Pickens Thrift
Store Christmas in July happening on July 17 from 8-2.
By Suellen Reitz
Pickens Community
Thrift Store Volunteer
Seeing someone wearing
a Santa hat in the middle of
summer may seem a bit odd
for most folks but for Terry
Bishop, aka “Sarge,” the gen
eral manager of Pickens
County Community Thrift
Store, it’s just part of the
planning to promote the first
ever Christmas in July event
for the store.
“This is for the commu
nity,” said Bishop. “My goal
is to make it a fun day for
everyone and get more pres
ence in the community. I put
the idea out there and folks
here are running with it.
Everyone here is like family.
We’re all volunteers here be
cause we believe in what we
do.”
That belief is part of the
20-year history of the Pick
ens Thrift Store. Over the
years, close to $10 million
dollars have been given back
to the community.
“God has blessed our min
istry here. The money we
raise in sales from the gener
ous donations of our commu
nity goes out in grants to the
numerous non-profit organi
zations. Our conservative
goal is to give $80,000 a
quarter to those applying.
This year’s slogan says it
all...’ Giving Millions To
Thousands.’ We are able to
do all of this because of our
great volunteers. If someone
has four hours a month to
help, I want them. If they can
give us four hours a week,
I’ll love them,” Bishop said.
Paulette McKennzie, the
assistant general manager,
emphasized the importance
of store volunteers.
“We lost many of our
longtime volunteers due to
COVID, so we have a lot of
new blood. I’m one of them.
I had always come here to
shop and one day someone
just asked me to help. I’ve
been here ever since. That’s
how we get most of our vol
unteers - getting to know our
shoppers and developing a
relationship.”
John and Evelyn Padgett
have taken the lead in getting
this set up. Both volunteers
for over six years with the
store, they help because they
know the store really does
care about Pickens County.
“We live in Cherokee
County, but they don’t have
anything like what we do
here,” Evelyn said. “We’re
telling everyone we know
about this. So far, we’ve put
in over 150 hours getting it
together, but it’s worth it.”
The idea started with a vi
sion for Sarge.
“I saw myself selling
Christmas stuff in a tent in
the heat,” he said. “We have
been getting so much Christ
mas decor in our donations, it
seemed to be a good way to
bring more folks together.”
That original thought has
grown into an event that
Bishop hopes will become a
Pickens County tradition.
A huge tent will be set up
behind the thrift store to
house the Christmas-themed
items that include decora
tions, trees, household goods,
clothing, toys and more -
something for everyone can
be found at great prices. The
store, located at 110 Samari
tan Drive, will also be open
the normal hours of 10 a.m. -
1 p.m. for bargain shoppers,
but the Christmas sale on
July 17 will have the hours
extended to 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. to
make sure everyone has time
to find their special treasures.
But that’s not all you’ll find.
Santa - and his free toys
for the kids - will be there in
his summer attire greeting
everyone with his jolly nature
and posing for the camera to
prove he really does exist.
Played by Jasper resident
Rick Cash, our Santa is ex
cited about seeing the kids in
person.
“I’ve often thought about
playing Santa, especially
since I grew my beard. This
is a great opportunity to try it
out. I’m really looking for
ward to handing out the toys
to all the kids,” Cash said
with a chuckle.
Santa will be onsite at 10
a.m. so keep your eyes
peeled for the approaching
reindeer. While waiting, kids
can have fun in the blow-up
bouncing dome or have a
hand at the corn hole toss
while parents shop.
Shopping can make one
hungry, so take advantage of
the hot dog cookout while
there. The grill will be fired
up ready to go at 11 a.m.
Snow cones will also be
available to enjoy and live
music starting at noon will be
playing to entertain.
Glory Bound Quartet, a
southern gospel group which
started in 2020, will perform
from noon until 1 p.m. The
local group from surrounding
communities performs to
raise funds through love of
ferings to support children
from Pickens and Cherokee
counties in foster care pro
grams with gifts for Christ
mas, birthday, and school
expenses. They also support
an orphanage in Peru. The
second band performing until
everyone is gone is called
SIRF which stands for Stuck
In Right Field. These guys
from Jasper have fun with
music from the 70s and 80s.
That’s sure to have you want
ing to dance a jig.
Onsite, folks will get to
see up-close two antique fire
trucks. One is an antique part
of Damon and Monica Wis
dom’s “Fire & Ice” set-up on
their Big Red Truck. The sec
ond truck, owned by Bill
Cain, will be part of Jasper’s
4th of July parade featuring
Santa and all his helpers.
Also there will be a police
squad car for those who al
ways wanted to see one up
close.
Everyone who comes will
receive a raffle ticket for a
chance to win a fabulous
prize, either a gift certificate
for free items in the sale, or
something from one of our
great supporters in the com
munity. A drawing will be
made every 30 minutes.
Folks can up their chances to
win with more purchases.
Every $10 will get them an
other ticket.
A great day for the entire
family is waiting for you so
mark your calendars now -
July 17th from 8 a.m. until 2
p.m. at the Pickens Commu
nity Thrift Store located at
110 Samaritan Drive is where
it’s happening.
Christmas In July is some
thing you don’t want to miss.
See you there.
Several members of local 70s and 80s band known as SIRF, (aka Stuck In Right Field)
will perform from 1 until the end of the event. Band members left to right include: Lee
Cox, John Johnson, Frank Webb, Randy White. Back row: Randy Schlicter, Tony Davis
and Tim Miller.
Southern Gospel band Glory Bound Quartet will perform from noon - 1 p.m. at the
Christmas in July event at the Pickens Community Thrift Store. Members standing left to
right are: Stephan Evans, Michael Cross, Bob Reese, Gary Courington, Rick Sullins on
piano and Bobby Roberts on sound.
WE WILL BE CLOSED
ON MONDAY JULY 5 th
IN OBSERVANCE OF
INDEPENDENCE DAY
As we pause to celebrate our great
country and the freedoms it provides,
Community Bank of Pickens County
wishes each of you a safe and happy
4th of July.
MAIN OFFICE: 15 Sammy McGhee Blvd. • Jasper, GA 30143
COVE ROAD OFFICE: 65 Cove Road • Jasper, GA 30143
(706) 253-9600 • www.cbopc.com
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