Representatives from the Marine Thrift Shop, Single Marine Program, Armed Services Young Men’s Christian Association and the Girl Scouts pose for a photo Friday. The Thrift Shop gave donations to the organizations that volunteered the most time at the store over the last quarter. In the middle is Seaman Isaiah Bowen, from Medical Logistics Company on Camp Kinser, who accepted the biggest check of $4,000 on behalf of the Single Marine Program. (Fred Zimmerman / Stars and Stripes)
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — The Marine Thrift Shop here showed its appreciation to volunteers by handing out checks to four organizations vital to keeping the shop going for the first quarter of this year.
Recognized at the store on Friday were the Single Marine Program, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and the Armed Services Young Men’s Christian Association. Each received checks based on the number of volunteer hours their members contributed, according to Andrita Stephens, manager of the Thrift Shop.
The Single Marine Program volunteered the most time — nearly 400 hours — and received a check for $4,000. Both the Girl and Boy scouts, at 100 and 200 hours respectively, received $1,200, and the ASYMCA, with 50 hours, was cut a check for $500. The donations are based on need of the organizations, hours volunteered and sales at the store.
Kim Newberry, SMP manager, said Marines and sailors come from every camp to volunteer in the shop for four hours three days a week — Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday. She said they do everything from sort clothes to run the cash register.
Sailors from Camp Kinser even give up their free time to man the store.
“We try to send up one to two people a week on Saturdays,” said Seaman Isaiah Bowen, who works at Camp Kinser’s Medical Logistics Company. “It’s hard to make the time, but we do it.”
Bowen said the servicemembers are not only learning how to contribute to the community, but are also benefiting themselves. He said by working there and receiving donations back, the SMP can plan more elaborate trips and the troops spend less money out of their own pockets.
The $4,000 the SMP received is being used to rent 12 buses over the next quarter for organized trips, Newberry said.
The Girl Scouts also are planning on putting the money back into their program.
“We’re going to be able to offer more programs to more girls,” said Jill Pollard, Girl Scout director of membership and marketing for Okinawa and South Korea.
While the organizations received various amounts, Rachelle Guerra, assistant manager of the Thrift Shop, said their volunteer work is priceless.
“We couldn’t run it without them,” she said. “Especially during [permanent change of station] times with the amount of donations we have. Our drop off box is full every day, and overflowing on weekends.”
The Thrift Shop, located in Bldg. 5674, offers “gently used,” previously owned items, including uniforms, for the military community to purchase at reasonable prices, the staff said. The store is open every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Donations can be made 24 hours a day at the store’s drop box.
