The Op Shop is celebrating 50 years of operations in Arnprior, and volunteer Opportunity Archivist Liz Hildebrandt has done a lot of paperwork to bring the occasion to life.
When we last left the conversation, Liz had described the serendipitous moment where a deal was consummated within the confines of Jim’s Restaurant, which would then soon lead to the Op Shop opening its doors in September of 1974.
Hildebrandt says early Arnprior Hospital Auxiliary minutes show the meetings were quite formal affairs.
Liz says as time went along, women Auxiliary members began to acquire their own first names.
All of Liz’s research will form a Museum exhibit companion to the 50th Anniversary celebrations.
Hildebrandt’s efforts are of course, a labour of love- but she also kept a time-card.
With all of Liz’ research efforts, we’re hoping the Museum display will have a nice long run.
Of course there could be no 50th anniversary without the efforts of Op Shop volunteers.
Opportunity Shop volunteers come in all shapes and sizes; there’s a husband-wife team; a mother-daughter combination, two sisters, some male muscle for shifting things around- members of the L’Arche community and even someone who works her volunteerism around a full-time job.
Without the volunteer labour, the logistics that make the Opportunity Shop happen would not be possible.
By Rick Stow