Generosity in ABUNDANCE Vail Valle y Cares — Th e Th rifty Store By Sandy Ferguson Fuller | Illustrations by Becca Saulsberry
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Good stories come from good stuff. Here’s one … Exploring the Vail Valley, it is reassuring to discover so many individuals and private or public organizations giving back to the local community. Generosity in abundance! One outstanding example is Vail Valley Cares (VVC), popularly known as The Thrifty Store. In 2024, VVC celebrates its 30th anniversary. Two store locations in Edwards and Eagle now welcome retail shoppers and a huge daily volume of inventory donations. Both stores have become “destinations” for budget or bargain hunters, eclectic item collectors, lifestyle downsizers or
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responsible recyclers and just about anyone looking for a fun and unique browsing and buying experience. If you visit Thrifty looking for a specific item, chances are you’ll find it … but a better chance that you will purchase several unexpected treasures! Looking for a pair of vintage leather or snow boots? If you’re lucky, you’ll find some your size. Maybe the right-size cooking dish, too. Need a different suitcase to fit under the seat for a single trip? Affordable framed artwork for the office? Some classic DVDs or vinyl? An array of bikes, skis, camping gear? Furniture? Fun jewelry? Clothes for
kids growing up too quick? Extra jeans or a jacket or an even softer sweater? A candle for a romantic evening? Good stuff. The Thrifty Store opened in 1994 in its current Edwards location under the direction of Jerry Milsaps, the blind pastor of Lake Creek Baptist Church, and his friend Pastor Benny Clark. Both gentlemen shared the heart and spirit to help others and began the enterprise without additional employees. The Vail Rotary Club offered a generous grant to guarantee the first year of operation, and the store repaid its initial support money within three months. During the early
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