This weekend Pembina Valley SuperThrift will be opening their doors, filling the parking lot, and inviting you to join them for a barbecue in support of Adult and Teen Challenge. Derek Neufeld is the Development Director with Adult and Teen Challenge of Central Canada, helping look after the team in the Pembina Valley and Steinbach regions. 

"We're doing it parking lot garage sale style, outside and inside. We do have a beautiful store where the team has laid out all sorts of trinkets and goodies and clothing and all the little knickknacks that people like to find at our thrift store. Combined with our community office team we are also hosting a BBQ for the community.” 

The BBQs will be over the noon and supper hours Friday (May 24) and over the noon hour again Saturday (May 25).   

Neufeld says the need continues to rise at Adult and Teen Challenge. 

"We need help. Not only do we have live-in long-term programs for men and women, where we have facilities and centers throughout the province, but here in Winkler, at our community office, we've been running a weekly men's support group, and a weakly Concerned Persons group, for the loved ones of the person struggling in addiction.” 

Neufeld says that the Concerned Persons group is for anyone wanting to learn skills to help their loved one with addiction. This may include parents, grandparents, uncles, aunties, cousins, siblings, employers, and neighbors. They are welcome to the group to gather tools, education and support.  

All the funds raised this weekend will stay here in the Pembina Valley to give hope to our community members, individuals and families. 

“We know how kind and generous people are, and we're just asking to continue that. Help people struggling with addictions. Unfortunately [the need] is increasing. We just ask that people continue to consider how they can contribute.” 

Neufeld added that they have one more exciting piece to add to the weekend. 

"We're going to have a neat little nostalgic vehicle [on display] and we're selling raffle tickets. This is a little side fundraiser”, Neufeld smiled, “It's a 1985, blue in color, Camaro Iroc Z. It's going to be on the parking lot and there's going to be raffle tickets available for purchase.”