Everyone is invited to attend the annual Christmas Open House at MCC Connections Thrift Shop in Kidron. Be sure not to miss this wonderful event scheduled for November 8-10. Come shop for many holiday items including Christmas decorations, trees, lights, florals, wreaths, music, nativity sets, books, ornaments, stuffed animals, baskets, tins, stockings, dishes and much, much more.

"People don't need to worry about our merchandise being picked over or depleted by the second or third day," said Marleen Reinhardt, assistant director of the store. "Each day we continually re-stock our items so there's always a great selection, not only during the open house, but throughout the year. We will transform literally every nook and cranny into a Christmas shop."

The annual open house has become a very popular event, due in part to the word-of-mouth advertising by our satisfied customers over the years, Marleen shared. And tour buses are always welcome, for the open house and all year long.
The thrift shop opened in a brand-new building back in May 2001. And it opened debt free. A group of volunteers, led by a board, used donated labor, donated materials and donated funds to create this operation. No small feat!

"We're more than just a thrift shop," explained Bill Ressler, the shop's director. "We have a two-fold purpose: to recycle goods and to provide a service opportunity for the people in our community."

"MCC Connections is a place where connections take place," Marleen said. "We connect people and resources."

Donated items come from folks far and wide, but usually from within a 25-mile radius, according to Bill. Items range from gently used clothing to household items such as electronics, housewares, home furnishings, furniture and books. Everything brought in must be clean and in working order ... "ready to sell."

The bright, roomy shop is set up just like a regular store, with items displayed on racks or shelves. Unusual, unique and/or antique items are grouped in a special section for a silent auction where they are sold to the highest bidder.

"When people support our thrift shop," Bill said, "they help improve others' lives by supporting the work of the Mennonite Central Committee, a relief, development and service arm of the Mennonite, Brethren in Christ and Amish congregations across the United States and Canada. This support also saves the earth's resources through recycling and reusing."

But the purpose of MCC Connections doesn't stop there. The shop also houses the Quilt Room, where volunteers recycle clothing and scrap fabrics. Amid sewing machines, quilt frames and looms, they create beautiful, handcrafted quilts, comforters and rugs to sell.

"For instance, the ladies take pairs of jeans that haven't sold and cut them up," Bill said. "First, they take off the pockets; we have someone who uses all the old pockets for something else. Then they cut out all the zippers; we have someone else who uses all the zippers. Then they cut the remaining denim into strips and they use those to weave into rugs to sell."

The third part of the thrift shop is the Material Resource Center, located in the back of the store, unseen by customers. Here, volunteers gather "kits" and send them to our Mennonite Central Committee partners around the world.

"We have many, many churches, scout troops and other service organizations that generously help put together these kits," Bill said. "For instance, each school kits contains these new items: four notebooks, four unsharpened pencils, one ruler, 12 colored pencils and one large pencil eraser. These items are stuffed into a homemade fabric bag with a drawstring top.

"We also collect health kits, sewing kits and newborn kits. If any group is interested in doing something like this for a project, all they have to do is contact us to get all the specific information. Volunteers pack these kits into metal drums and send them to people who need them, around the world. Sharing our resources is a concrete way we can all stand with those who are suffering."

You, too, can help share. Visit MCC Connections for the the annual Christmas Open House and then come back often throughout the rest of the year. Help make a difference in the world.

MCC Connections Thrift Shop -- 4080 Kidron Rd., Kidron, OH 44636 (just S of Central Christian High School), (330) 857-7802, http://www.mcc.org; hours: Mon.-Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thu., open until 8 p.m.