Helping St Bernards Hospice was never easier.
To cope with the mounting pile of puzzles donated to their charity shop, the call went out to the public to come in, grab a few boxes, taken them home, assemble them, make sure all the pieces were there and then return them in five days.
Not a bad deal at all!
The shop is a winner at selling great pre-loved items and using the money to fund local palliative care.
Leandré Muller from the shop said puzzles were welcomed, and they get a lot of them. But like many things in life, they had to check that all the pieces were there.
Some puzzles arrive with a piece or two missing.
Fortunately for buyers, Muller says they are insistent that each piece is verified.
Only when this happens are the puzzles placed on the shelf for sale.
The shop was busier than ever and staff did not have the time to sort out the puzzles.
The pile grew, storage could not cope.
“We don’t ever want to disappoint our customers,” she said, “but the shop has become so busy.”
It was time to ask for help — peace of mind for all in the organisation was at stake.
And, like Christams elves, you all arrived — and cracked on with the task.
Some teens arrived, but the moment which drew sighs was when a 92-year-old resident arrived ready to rock those puzzles!
The shop thanked local organisations around the city for helping to spread the word.
So far volunteers have sent 69 puzzles, counted and boxed, out to the shelves ready for sale.
The halfway mark in the backlog has been crossed.
The relief in the bustling shop was palpable.
She said: “Every item sold supports our mission to provide home-based palliative care to patients in our community.
“When volunteers help with tasks, they free up time that strengthens the services hospice can offer.
“One of the most special things about this community is how quickly strangers become family.”
The community was providing the support required for the hospice to provide a wonderful level of care.
Next year St Bernards celebrates its 35th year.
She listed items which worked well — clothing, shoes, kitchenware, and linen.
“Every contribution supports both the hospice and the community members who rely on the charity shop.”
Volunteers come in, grab a few puzzles, take them home where they have five days to assemble or count them, and then return them.
“A quiet hour spent fitting pieces together can make a meaningful difference,” said Muller.
Go! columnist Deloris Koan said: “When I turned 60 I took most of the baggage that could not fit on my motorcycle to St Bernards. I thought it would bring me relief.
“I went six or seven times, and every time staff greeted me as if I was doing them a good turn. It was such a different and good feeling!”
