Bonnie Reeves and Lee Biazzo have volunteered at Hospice Resale Shop for many years. They have experienced many changes as the Resale Shop has grown and changed. Bonnie has been with Hospice 14 years and Lee for 18 years. “There have been six Hospice resale shops throughout York County. The first one opened in York in 2003,” said Lee. “We had two stores in York, and then we moved from York to a location on Herlong Avenue in Rock Hill. Next, we moved to a location on Main Street in Rock Hill and then to a location on Heckle Avenue. In September 2019, we opened our most recent location on East White Street. The Resale Shop is great; everything donated, and everything we make goes back to the patients.”
“When we started at the little shop on Herlong, we used to hang the clothing on the wall. We would actually take the ironing board, and we would iron everything before we hung it up. We had a washer and we used to wash the clothing. I think about it that it was so funny that we pressed the clothes,” laughed Bonnie.
Bonnie also shared that the store used to sell new merchandise. “When we first started, we used to have new items in the store, and the whole front of the store had new items for people to purchase. In the back were all donated items for resale. The stores keep getting bigger over the years, which is amazing, and the community is so generous.”
“The most popular items in the store include antiques. People always know they get good buys here. Clothing and jewelry are also favorites because they know they can get great items here. We once had a beautiful bedroom set. It had everything, and it was gorgeous with big posts, comforter, and pillows. We were selling it for about $800, and it was a real deal,” said Bonnie.
“We do get some unique donations,” shared Lee. “One time we got a giant inflatable snow globe, with snow inside. We were laughing hysterically because it was so huge. Unfortunately, when we started it up, it had a leak, and the snow would not move around. We get beautiful jewelry on a regular basis. People start cleaning out the closet and just throw everything in the bag. Occasionally, we have even gotten family pictures, and we are shocked that they somehow got into donation bags.”
“All the volunteers work together so well. We are just like family. The closeness makes you want to come volunteer. Some of the volunteers have invested a lot of years here, and we all become very close to one another,” shared Bonnie. “I think we help so many people. So many families who have experienced hard times, or who are having a hard time making it. We help them.”
“And Leslie, the Rock Hill Resale Shop manager, is so kind. She is so helpful to people in need, people who have lost their homes or had fires. She will work with community agencies and churches to help them get the items they need. I also volunteer for St. Vincent De Paul at my church, Saint Anne’s, and when they have a need for a family, she will help them.” explained Lee.
If you are interested in volunteering at the Hospice Resale Shops in Rock Hill or Lancaster, please contact Hope Ruiz, Hospice & Community Care Volunteer Department, at 803-329-1500, or hruiz@HospiceCommunityCare.org.
