Hooray for 40 years!
While shopping at As Good As New (AGAN), it is easy to forget the difficult beginnings that made the organization what it is today. We’d like to take this opportunity to share with you the HERstory of AGAN and highlight some memories of our volunteers.
As a grassroots, volunteer organization – and one of the earliest shelters to open in Canada – Lanark County Interval House sought donations from the community in order to meet the clothing needs for women and children seeking refuge at the shelter.
On May 15, 1980, inspired by these efforts, LCIH staff opened the AGAN store: a volunteer-run thrift store selling high quality clothing and household items, with 100% of the proceeds going back to Lanark County Interval House.
Over time, the store began generating enough funds to assist in operating the shelter. As new staff were hired to help run the shelter, revenues from the store helped to pay many salaries. On more than one occasion, staff pay cheques were dependent on earnings gathered from the store.
Forty years later, As Good As New continues to clothe women and children living at the shelter and is one of Interval House’s most successful fundraising efforts. The success of As Good As New is due to the incredible generosity, compassion and hard work of our volunteers who tirelessly sort donations, stock the store and greet customers. Thanks to our volunteers giving their time and energy to the store, we can still allow all of the money generated by sales to be put into women’s and children’s programs at Interval House.
We asked past and present volunteers to share their best memories from the AGAN to celebrate its 40th anniversary:
Name: Derryn Few
Volunteer Position: AGAN store
Years: 14
I remember when… “A young lady came into the store. There were no others in the front of the store at the time. She handed me a small zip-lock package that contained a small silver ring with a tiny stone. She wanted to donate it because she had spent time at Interval House and was now leaving. She said she wanted to give back because of all the help that resulted in her healing process. I thanked her and gave her a hug.”
Name: Jennifer Demerath
Volunteer Position: AGAN store
Years: 9
I remember when… “we had a very elegant, long gown donated and as I was putting it on the mannequin in the window, I realized it would fit me and considered buying it. However, I realized I probably wouldn’t have an opportunity to wear it. One of our regular customers, who is a well-known local female impersonator, came in and said he absolutely had to have that dress. As I was taking it off the mannequin, I told him he was lucky to get it because I was thinking of buying it myself. He said he wasn’t worried he wouldn’t get it because “a queen beats a straight anyday!”
I remember when… “The very first day I worked at the store, I was alone and found it quite interesting – flying by the seat of your pants! However, the most memorable incident occurred one very cold, wintery, January day. The latch on the front door wasn’t functioning properly and we were unable to open the door even though it wasn’t locked. There were 4 customers in the store and myself as the only volunteer with one of the customers being legally blind. As she wanted to leave, I had to let her go out the back door; she knows her way around town quite well, but she had never exited by the back door and stairs. They were quite slippery as I went out with her to get her down the stairs and back up Bridge street. Unfortunately, I forgot the door would lock behind me and when I rushed back up the stairs (no coat and no boots), I found myself locked out! I couldn’t go around to the front door because it wouldn’t open so I had to bang on the back door until one of the customers came through and opened it for me – we had a good laugh.”
Name: Valerie Martin
Volunteer Position: AGAN Board member
Years: 5
I remember when… “One evening at As Good As New, we had a wedding dress that was priced at $50.00 – when it was new, it would have cost $2000.00. A young bride-to-be came in, with a very small budget for a dress. She told us she was on ODSP (Ontario Disability Support Program). Her budget was $35.00. Trudy and I made a decision on the spot and offered it to her for $30.00. She looked so beautiful in it!”
And some anonymous memories:
One woman volunteered for the AGAN Charity Fashion Show as a model. People couldn’t believe the quality of the items that were being auctioned that day. She has been a regular shopper at the store for many years before becoming a volunteer, and feels it was a true pleasure to work with so many strong and dedicated women!
A volunteer expresses her love for working with the AGAN women during change over for the new season, when everyone works in harmony to get the job done.
“I see good things everytime I work”
One woman needed LCIH for personal support, and wanted to give back and reflect on how the resources provided at LCIH help one to live a whole and productive life again.
As she volunteered at the store, she was able to empathize with others and extend the hospitality that she received through her experiences with LCIH. This volunteer loved to encourage others in their new journeys.
