18 Southwest Progress Report 2012


Piecing Together the Social Fabric


Kyle Thrift Store idea a popular one T


BY ELIZABETH HEATCOAT


hree winters ago a handful of volunteers in Kyle had the idea to open a thriſt store


in their little town. It started in a little old house and became a bigger success than they ever imagined. As the third season of the T riſt Store —


now a registered non-profi t organization — approached, the volunteers were busy working to put their “thriſt iness” to the test. T e little old house could only be open for


six months of a year because there was no water or heat. When a large building — an abandoned service station — that had been closed since 1997, came available for them to purchase, the group knew they had their work cut out for them. Pat Sumner, the volunteer leading the


charge said with the exception of the electrical wiring, plumbing and eaves troughs, nearly everything the group used to renovate the tired old building was reused material. T e siding was replaced. It had been


stored in a community member’s basement and donated. T e rustic wood feature walls look like they may have once been hardwood fl oors. Nearly all of the windows


in the building had been replaced with ones removed during home renovations. For the fi rst two years, the T riſt Store


operated under the umbrella of Kyle Economic Development, it started as a project to raise money to donate back into the community. “T ere were people who thought that it


wasn’t going to work … and they are totally amazed, ” said Sumner. “At the end of the fi rst year we had $7, 000 in the bank and were able to donate nearly $4, 000 back into the community. Determined to ensure the store had


a sustainable future, the group bought the building located on the west side of Highway 4 that runs through the town. With the Sask. Landing Provincial Park just to the South and Clear Water Lake nearby, there is a lot of summer travel traffi c. As a result, the T riſt Store, staff ed by volunteers, is generating money from non-local sources. “When I was on town council, they put


the sign up that tells you your speed and also counts vehicles. I was quite amazed at how much traffi c goes through here, ” said Sumner. “With tourism here, we should be


booming. You (have) to bring


the dollars in from somewhere else because so many people that live here take their dollars to Swiſt Current. T at is why the T riſt Store hopes to ‘grab them as they go by’.” In order to purchase the


new building, the town lent the organization $5, 000 at no interest, the R.M. gave $3,000 and Economic Development committee loaned $3, 000 and just about $5, 000 remained in the T riſt Store Account from the previous year. T e increased building costs


accrued also means increase pressure for the non-profi t to turn a profi t again. With a more open facility, better highway access and ability to be open throughout the year, Sumner is hopeful that won’t be a problem. “Our fi rst two years we were


only open from May until the end of September because we had no heat and no water, ” explained Sumner. “Here we intend to be open for more of the year … the hardest thing is volunteers … you don’t want to burn them out, but that is what keeps it running.” Most of the volunteers at the


Photos by Elizabeth Heatcoat Photos by Elizabeth Heatcoat


Above, volunteer Pat Sumner has led the charge in getting Kyle’s Thrift story going. Below, Sumner examines a door which can easily be reused.


store are seniors. Consequently, they oſt en only want to work two or three hours. “It is a challenge, I have a lady who


volunteers herself, but she also looks aſt er fi lling the calendar. I am so grateful …. I can’t sit and just telephone. I have to be hands on doing something, ” said Sumner. “I was 65 years old last year … I am not


giving in, ” she chuckled. Prior to giving this reporter a sneak


peak into the building while it was still in the developing stages, she had been on a stepladder hanging curtains. Not long before that, she had been on her knees on the concrete fl oor preparing it for leveling so the new carpet could be laid. T ey celebrated the grand opening of


the new location in mid-May. Keep your eyes open for any advertising promoting extended hours. For the time being, the Kyle T riſt Store is open on Tuesdays, T ursdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.


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