The Perfect Gift Shop: Spreading the Joy of Giving
‘The perfect gift is the one you give to another,’ that’s the motto of The Perfect Gift Shop (TPGS), which distributes holiday shopping gift certificates to children and adults with developmental disabilities so they can experience the joy of giving.
The all-volunteer, non-profit organization founded five years ago by Jean Woods, held a public Open House Thursday evening before officially opening on Friday (Dec. 10) at the Floyd Baptist Church Annex (509 E. Main Street).
TPGS provides Floyd schools, The New River Community Action Center, PLENTY, churches and businesses with gift certificates for children aged 5-16 and adults with developmental disabilities who are invited to shop for holiday gifts for their loved ones December 10 to December 23 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
“There is no income requirement and families can also get gift certificates at the shop,” said Woods, who gave tours at the open house where visitors enjoyed a table spread of treats donated by Cocoa Mia, Red Rooster Coffee Roaster and others.
Behind the festively decorated red curtain in the lounge room where adults can wait for their children to shop, the gift shop is fully stocked with toys, gifts for pets, jewelry, appliances, housewares, homemade throws and more. Woods reported that many of the gifts were homemade and most were donated.
Linda Laplante headed up the team that collected scarves and hats that contributors handknit and crocheted throughout the year. Toni Lamberti handmade shawls with fabric donated by an upholstery company. Wills Ridge Hardware donated tools. Crayons and school supplies were purchased by volunteers at sales.
“It’s an all year project,” said Woods. Although the organization has a dedicated core group and a board of directors, they are in need of volunteers to staff the shop when it’s opened.
Volunteer Joan Earman estimated that they would like to have more volunteers in shifts to help the children shop and to wrap presents, but they only have a couple or a few signed up for each day (7 days a week). “It takes a lot of people,” she said.
Woods said that volunteers can sign up to be helper elves, greeters or gift wrappers and that they can call phone numbers provided on The Perfect Gift Shop Facebook page and webpage (theperfectgiftshops.com) to sign up.
“Citizens Telephone Coop has been active in providing volunteers and the Woman’s Club has adopted us as a project,” Woods said. ________Colleen Redman
December 17th, 2021 10:48 am
This looks and sounds AMAZING and the non-profit/volunteer efforts are for such a great cause. I’m sure the day put smiles on MANY faces!