“It isn’t a big store, but we feel we serve our community well.” says Marlene Nelson, who chaired the Libby Community Thrift store for 10 years.

From 2008 to 2016, the store has donated $66,114.56 back into the community, focusing its monthly donations on Libby Food Pantry, the Pregnancy Care Center, Wings, Basic Needs, Libby Ministerial Association and Libby Care Center. In February this year they added domestic violence prevention to the list.

Tucked into a small building behind Rosita’s restaurant, the store provides other community services as well, like a $500 scholarship to a community minded senior every year, and a ‘burn out closet’ offer to anyone who has lost everything in a fire.

Nelson, who works three days a week, clearly gains a lot from her volunteer job despite any setbacks: “we get donations every day. But we can’t take furniture and T.Vs anymore, we just don’t have the room and there are four volunteers on our crew who are over 80. In fact, there are several on every crew over 80. We aren’t able to lift anymore.”

The store’s biggest expense after rent is disposing of garbage, which is part of running a thrift store “we try to put out only very clean, good quality clothes” Nelson says.

Nelson and current chairman Alvin Benitz, along with Community Thrift’s 30 volunteers would like to thank all those from Libby and Troy who have donated and supported the store.

“We couldn’t do it without their support, and without our great volunteers,” says Nelson “we’d also like to thank David Thompson Search and Rescue for letting us have our monthly meeting in their building.”