Saturday, March 20, 2021

I wanted to share with you a story about a little store called, “Scraps & Skeins”. Many of you are familiar with this local creative reuse shop – but I don’t want to talk about our six-year history, the textiles we’ve saved from the landfill or the success storied of our employees as they struggle with mental health. I want to talk about March 2020. Like many others, we had to shut down our store due to COVID. In addition to everything else, shuttering our shop sent several of our employees home to one-bedroom apartments.  
 
When we were able to open, led by our intrepid Store Manager, Dottie, we cleaned; we developed new procedures for donations, number of customers, volunteers and employees in the store; we made signs and marked the floor; we reduced our hours. The ride wasn’t smooth, but in September Dottie announced our sales were double over the previous year. That is certainly good news, but how are we, as a team?
Last Saturday, as I entered the store to start my shift, there were 6 customers outside, waiting their turn, masks at the ready, and six feet apart. As I made my way to the front, explaining I wasn’t cutting in line and thanking them for waiting, the woman at the back of the line said, “Thank you for keeping us safe.” Later, the Store Manager shared an email from one of our employees who was recovering from the virus. The note was happy, upbeat and thankful for the loving care our team (her tribe) had provided through calls, notes, food and other drop-offs that kept her spirits up.
To me this bright spot, even in the toughest of times, is the power and resilience of people working together with teamwork, a shared goal, friendship and selfless love.
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”                                                                Philippians 4:13

Lynn Rogers