|
The Opportunity Shop is housed in a former gas station next door to
the church now adding to the Western town appearance of downtown Dubois.
Growing out of an annual Opportunity Sale held for years by the women of the
church, a full-time thrift store now serves all residents of Dubois.
Clothing and housewares and toys are the principal sale items, but expansion
into furniture and other larger items is in the works. Volunteers are always
welcome for help in sorting the donations. The Shop has two full-time
employees as well as a volunteer Business manager from the church.
Community Food Bank, housed in the Stewart House at the church is open Saturdays from10 to 12 a.m. Volunteers provide free basic
USDA food commodities and purchased canned, frozen and refrigerated foods, to
Households in need. The Community Food Bank of St. Thomas Church is a member
of the Food Bank of the Rockies Seasonal Food Baskets are delivered to
families in need at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Salvation Army funds are
available to help travelers and transients in need as they pass through the
town..
During the summer the Food Bank maintains a Community Garden of 15
raised beds at the east end of the church. Beds are available for Food Bank
Clients to "adopts" for personal use and sales. The Lights On children from
the school summer program also raise a bed as part of their activities.
Volunteers raise the rest of the beds to provide some fresh produce for the
Saturday Morning Food Bank distribution as well as harvested produce to sell
at the Farmers' Market to raise money for the Food Bank.
Starting in Mid-July a Farmers' Market is held in the community
room at St. Thomas from noon to 3:00 pm each Sunday, going through
September. Once a week on Friday or Saturday produce is purchased from
close-by Farmers' Markets and farms for resale, with profits after expenses
going towards the Food Bank. The Community Garden is harvested on Sunday
mornings to add to the sale items and the Food Bank again benefits from the
profit. Healing Shawls are knit by members of the church and blessed during a service. They are given to persons who in the hospital, ill or otherwise desiring their comfort.
They are always available to anyone who wishes to send them to a loved one
as well.
Rag Dolls 2 Love are also made by church members to send to
children in war zones, especially in the Middle East | 