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Humboldt Good Neighbour Store gives $320,000 to non-profits

A Humboldt thrift store gave away $320,000 towards local non-profits and charities. The Good Neighbour Store presented cheques to 39 organizations base in Humboldt and the immediate area in a ceremony at the Bella Vista Inn Dec. 3.
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The Humboldt Good Neighbour Store donated $320,000 to 39 local non-profits. Photo by Devan C. Tasa

A Humboldt thrift store gave away $320,000 towards local non-profits and charities.

The Good Neighbour Store presented cheques to 39 organizations base in Humboldt and the immediate area in a ceremony at the Bella Vista Inn Dec. 3.

“It’s just an incredible feeling, that you can give that much money away from the stuff we do,” said Maureen Dotzel, the chair of the store, adding that to make that much money from all of the little items that they sell is incredible.

The amount donate this year breaks all previous records for the store

“This is the first time we’ve gone over $300,000 and it’s pretty incredible,” Dotzel said.

Last year, they gave away $274,000 to 38 organizations. This also means the store given away a total of $3.153 million since it opened in 1992.

It is the board of the store that determine which organization receive money and how much.

“These decisions are not always easy but they are not made by one or two people,” Dotzel said. “At the end we have a unanimous decision of the whole board on payouts.

The store saw 60 applications this year.

“First of all, we look at hospitals and care homes,” Dotzel said. “We really focus on people because at least once in your lifetime you’re going to need the hospital or you’re going to need a care home.”

After that, they start looking at libraries and other organizations.

As for the money donated, it will go towards items as varied as an ActiV.A.C. wound healing unit, large print books, renovations, camping trips, breakfast programs, youth program and even just to keep the doors open for some organizations.