A new Good Shepherd thrift store is now in business on the square in Green Forest. This makes the third thrift shop in Carroll County to be opened by the Good Shepherd Humane Society to raise funds for the sheltering, feeding, immunizing and re-homing of the county’s plethora of unwanted pets.
After a soft opening on April 22, the new shop ended its first week with barking good sales in a purrfect location on the south side of the Green Forest square (where the doughnut shop used to be). Smaller than its sister shops in Eureka Springs and Berryville, the Green Forest store is still roomy enough to have something for everyone. Manager Deborah Rodriguez has everything well organized and looks forward to more donations to fill out the floor space.
“Linens and bedding are popular right now, there’s a lot of people looking,” Rodriguez noted, “but we can take anything there’s room for, just no large furniture.” Volunteers are also welcome for “a few hours or the whole day.” The store is currently open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday.
GSHS Executive Director, Cole Wakefield, wants the public to be aware that volunteers are always needed at the shelter as well as in the thrift stores, and has high praise for those managing and volunteering at the area’s beloved Doggie Shops.
“Although donations are vital, our thrift shops are the key to our operating budget,” Wakefield explained. “They provide forty percent of the money we need to survive. We couldn’t do what we do without them. We’ve been looking for an opportunity to have a physical presence in Green Forest for some time and were just waiting for the right space to open up.
“The Grand Opening is being planned for May 17 at the Green Forest location and will include a free vaccine clinic and more as part of this celebration for the city. Watch the Good Shepherd page on Facebook for details.”
Wakefield recently returned from Las Vegas where he spoke at the Animal Care Expo, the largest international professional development conference and trade show for animal welfare professionals and volunteers. The event, organized by Humane World for Animals (formerly Humane Society International and the Humane Society of the United States), drew about 3,000 participants. Experts from all aspects of animal welfare from around the globe came to learn about the latest programs, share best practices and gain inspiration.
And some were inspired by our own local story. Speaking about his presentation to a general workshop during the Expo, Wakefield told the Independent, “I was proud to share the great work we are doing here, and to be able to help others in rural areas by sharing our successes. I came away realizing how important it was for all of us to work together, educating the public and developing as professionals.”