Despite a drop in sales, Morden Community Thrift Store gives back to the community substantially 

 A crowd anxiously gathered in the Morden Community Thrift Store (MCTS) Monday morning for the annual Spring cheque distribution. A variety of community representatives were on hand to not only collect their donations but to share how the money would be used. 

 MCTS Board Chair Kent Noel said over the winter months sales were slower than usual but remarked they have bounced back over the last few weeks. 

 "We were thankfully able to give $219,725 back to the community, to everybody involved with the thrift store. It is just a humbling experience. Everybody just loves it. It's a great feeling when you are able to do that."  

He gives credit to the many volunteers who are part of the process and are able to present the funding to the organizations.  

"It is exactly why people volunteer; they want to be able to give back to the community. Mental health, physical health, police and fire protection, whatever we need here, it is just a great feeling." 

Boundary Trails Health Centre Foundation Executive Director Shannon Sammatte-Folkett said they are thrilled to receive the full funding for a digital imaging plate to supplement a portable x-ray machine at BTHC. 

"We applied for the $60,000 and we graciously were given the $60,000 to cover purchasing this piece of equipment. So, I can excitedly go back and tell Joel Nelson, the Director, 'This is a go,' and he can order that piece. I'm pretty sure the diagnostics team and the staff will be excited." 

MCTS representative and Boundary Trails Health Centre Foundation Executive Director Shannon Sammatte-Folkett

Morden Menzies Medical Centre Executive Director Nicole Walske was also grateful for the funding they received. 

"This donation was requested to help us to work on recruitment. We try to offer a return of service to physicians who join us. This amount of $45,000 is going to really help us to engage with new physicians to this area, and attract them to our community, and hopefully keep them here for a long, long time." 

MCTS representative and New Dr. Carrie Ginter (coming to Morden this summer) Morden Menzies Medical Centre (MMC) ED Nicole Walske and Morden Councilor for the MMC Community Board Doug Frost  

Western School Division Trustee David Guenther was pleased with the strong commitment made by MCTS for the full-sized track and soccer field project. MCTS pledged $100, 000 to the project over the next five years. 

"Today we received our first check of $20,000, which will go a long way to providing opportunities for both kids in our community, kids who come from outside our community to participate in sports, and for more than as a whole to be able to host tournaments and host other communities. This opens up opportunities for kids to now be in a season where they can train and compete on provincial national levels, having a facility that can actually accommodate that."  

MCTS representative and Western School Division Trustees David Guenther and Darcy Wolfe

Here are all the recipients of the spring funding from Morden Community Thrift Store: 

Morden Collegiate - $8000 for this year's graduation bursaries. 

BTHC Foundation - $60, 000 for a digital imaging plate. 

BTHC Gift Shop/Boundary Trails Health Auxiliary - for reopening assistance, as they were closed during the pandemic. 

Menzies Medical Centre - $45, 000 for physician incentives. 

Childhood Development Centre - $5425 for a 6-seater wagon to transport children around the community. 

Darlingford Playground Committee - $5000 for a play structure. 

Morden Parent and Tot received $4000 for equipment for infants who accompany parents to programming. 

Genesis House - $10,000 for a transitional housing expansion. 

Tabor Home - $10,000 for a path reconstruction project 

Winkler Bible Camp - $10,000 for new bunk beds to expand capacity at the camp. 

Western School Division - $20,000 for the Discovery Trails School full size track and soccer field project. With $20,000/year for the next 5 years. 

Many Hands Resource Centre - $8,000 for the Farmer's Market and Food Currency Programs. 

Morden Activity Centre - $10,000 for a new commercial oven/stove. 

Morden Community Handivan - $10,000 towards the new van purchased in February 2023. 

Morden Police Service - $7,300 for safety equipment in vehicles. 

Pembina Valley Humane Society - $5,000 for various community programs. 

The Morden Community Thrift Store thanked those who donate items, customers and volunteers for making this distribution of funds possible.