Our Treasure Trunk

Jocelyn Steeves | Jul 17, 2024

I am an avid second hand store shopper. Like Forest Gump opening up a box of chocolates: “You never know what you’re gonna get.”

For the most part, if an item of clothing gets there, it’s still in good shape. I am especially thankful to the shopaholics who buy and never end up wearing an item they outgrow or lose interest in. Throughout the years, I have indeed found many treasures.

We are very lucky to have the best second hand store in the area. Items are priced to sell so more treasures can be hung up and put on the shelves. They even have a shed where you can take things away for free. Whenever I go to Perth or Kingston, I make the rounds to as many second hand stores as I can. I still prefer ours.

The Treasure Trunk is second to none when it comes to community service. They give to the Food Bank, train co-op students, work in the schools, participate in the Polar Bear Plunge. They even provide all the clothing that the NFLT needs, at no cost.

For those of you who are interested, they are always in need of volunteers to help sort and display the donations. If you have kitchenware, shoes or clothing, pictures or furniture that you don’t use anymore, please consider bringing them in during open hours. 

Second hand stores help in keeping ‘stuff’ out of our landfills. However they are not enough. How many of us have not gone to a second hand store to drop off usable items because it was inconvenient or after hours?

Consider all the sound and reusable items you might find at a dump, whether or not you're a second-hand shopper. I've often wondered why all dumps don't have a sheltered 'reuse' area. To save landfill space, it seems reasonable to include such a station as an essential part of the site.

Jocelyn Steeves