F I G H T E R C O U N T R Y PA R T N E R S H I P
Volunteer Emory makes sure the toy section is in order. (Photo courtesy of Fighter Country Partnership)
Thrift shop volunteers, airmen and InstantHandz move store displays and inventory from the old club to the new location at the old bowling alley in January 2020. (Photo courtesy of Fighter Country Partnership)
Deep Sense of
Community
Luke AFB Thrift Shop pays it forward BY KRISTIE CANTERBURY AND LAUREN HEFFNER
T
he Luke Air Force Base Thrift Shop moved into its new location one year ago, thanks, in part, to the Luke Spouses’ Club, which invested more than $100,000 to create the fun shopping experience. All current and retired Air Force, Army, Marines, Coast Guard and Space Force families are invited to peruse the reasonably priced new and used goods. “We serve ages 0 to 100,” says Lucinda Carmichael, the thrift store chair and a retired Air Force veteran. The store sells clothing, kitchen items, toys, furniture and home décor for 75% to 90% off retail, providing hundreds of dollars in monthly savings. This is vital to military families who endure frequent moves. Shop staff members invite their new neighbors to stop by. The inventory isn’t only for helping new
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Sound of Freedom | MAY/JUNE 2021
PCS arrivals but other newbies as well. The thrift shop sells cribs, slings and clothing at reasonable prices. The Luke AFB Thrift Shop boasts a deep sense of community, thanks to the active-duty spouses and military retirees who donate hundreds of hours of their time each month. Ellen Anderson, a veteran and seven-year volunteer, enjoys her time at the thrift store. “Life is good,” she says buoyantly. The benefits snowball from there. Volunteering helps military spouses, who can add the activity to their resumes. In partnership with the Airman and Family Readiness Center, the Luke AFB Thrift Shop supports the Airman’s Attic program by providing additional savings on already low-priced goods. As part of its Layette Program, it provides a welcome basket to parents after the arrival of their newborns. The Luke Spouses’ Club provides free uniforms to all airmen in active status;
Volunteers finish a thrift shop day in April. (Photo courtesy of Fighter Country Partnership)
manages Cinderella’s Closet to lend evening gowns, handbags and accessories for special events; and serves as a collection point for the new Luke AFB Food Pantry. Luke AFB Thrift Shop is the primary fundraising source for the Luke Spouses’ Club and its welfare account. These profits are used for college scholarships for military dependents, grants to Luke AFB organizations, and charitable contributions to base organizations and the community. Since opening the new space in May 2020 — and despite the challenges that came with COVID-19 — the thrift shop donated $45,000 to the community. This year, it invested $25,000 in scholarships for dependents seeking higher education and supported Luke Library and Month of the Military Child programs, the Luke AFB Freedom Fest, and $2,000 to the new Luke AFB food pantry. Info: bit.ly/3xvfq4d or lukespousesclub. org. The thrift shop’s hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays.
