April is here, bringing longer days, brighter mornings, and the first true signs of spring. It’s the season for lighter fabrics, fresh colours, and easy clothing pieces that feel as good as they look. Gardens are beginning to come alive too, making it the perfect time to start planning, planting, and enjoying the outdoors again. We’re excited to see the shop blossom with fresh spring fashion, to think about simple seasonal gardening tips, and even begin to taste the items which are coming from local gardens. One of the things I am so looking forward to is the return of local asparagus. For me, it’s one of the true signs that spring has arrived. Roasted with a drizzle of olive oil and a few simple seasonings, it’s fresh, flavourful, and the perfect reminder that lighter meals and garden season are just around the corner.
Also, just around the corner is the Maple Syrup Festival—are you someone who joins in the celebration, or do you slip out of town to avoid the crowds? Events like the Maple Syrup Festival really mark the beginning of our community’s spring transformation, as familiar faces on the streets are joined (and sometimes replaced) by an influx of visitors and returning cottagers. Coming from Bayfield, I was always amazed at how quickly the roads would shift from being mostly local winter dwellers to suddenly bustling with cottagers.
Do you have a favourite festival memory, or do you look forward to the quiet once the crowds have gone home?
Debbie Siertsema
General Manager
MCC Thrift & Gift
BIRTHDAYS April
Grace W
Angela S
Florence M
Eileen B
Joy D
Debbie D
Ruth Ann B
Art T
Gloria B
Erma W
Bev J
Grace B
Housewares - Pricing
Floor Support
Clothing - Sorting
Store Display Merchandising
Receiving Attendant
Books, Cashier, Receiving Attendant
Floor Support, Off Site, Seasonal
Receiving Attendant
Clothing - Sorting
Clothing - Sorting
Cashier, Thrift Shop Floor Support
Clothing - Sorting
Chrissy’s Corner
Spring is starting to make an appearance! The rain is a welcome change after the long winter. April is a full month with unpredictable weather, holidays, and local festivals.
Easter is an important celebration that reminds us of hope, eternal life, and God’s love. Our family has a few traditions to help remember what Easter is about: decorating eggs, enjoying a good meal together, and hiding Easter baskets for the kids. As my kids get older, I sometimes think they’re past these traditions, but they still ask, “When are we decorating eggs?” It always makes me smile. I hope everyone has a blessed Easter.
Centre parking lot. If you would like to volunteer and join me, please let me know! And if you’re attending the festival, be sure to stop by and say hello. We’ll have a fun selfie wall, stickers, and information about MCC.
Volunteer Appreciation Week is also coming up in April. At MCC, we take this time to celebrate and recognize how important our volunteers are in helping us achieve what we could not do alone. This year’s theme is “Ignite Volunteerism,” highlighting the essential role volunteers play in building strong, inclusive communities.
This month, the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival takes place on April 11. Debbie and Greg will be supporting the event by providing comfort stations for volunteers, and I will be at an information booth in the Special Events section at the Woolwich Memorial
Volunteer travels
To all of you, thank you! From everyone on the staff at MCC Thrift & Gift, we are truly grateful. This store is filled with talented and dedicated volunteers, and our little shop has achieved big success because of you.
THANK YOU!
Chrissy Bauman Volunteer Engagement Manager
MCC Thrift
& Gift
This month Fred Redekop has travelled to Amman in Jordan to celebrate the birth of a new Grandchild. During his visit, he popped by the MCC office and sent photos and greetings from the staff in Amman.
Building Literacy Through Partnership
Last year we had the opportunity to support Greg Krauss’s mother as she travelled to Eswatini, Africa. She shared with us a need that the schools she works with were facing — access to books to help build their literacy programs and support students learning to read English.
In response, we began collecting books to send with her. Many of the donations were children’s books that had not sold at MCC Thrift & Gift. Rather than going to the landfill, these books were given a second life, supporting young readers across the world.
The response was so positive that we continued collecting books again this year. We were recently sent photos showing the excitement as the boxes were unloaded and the books were placed into the school library. The students were thrilled to receive these new resources, and their enthusiasm for learning was clear.
We are grateful to be part of a partnership that benefits everyone involved — helping to build literacy opportunities for students in Eswatini while also keeping books out of the landfill.
This truly is partnership at its best.
April Closures
A quick reminder that the shop will be closed on April 3 for Good Friday. We also wish you a time of reflection and celebration on Easter Sunday. I hope you will be able to spend time with your church community and families. The shop doors will again be open on what some consider to be Easter Monday. We look forward to seeing you then.
Pow Wows 101
Learn the basics of what Indigenous Pow Wows are all about. Attend in person in Kitchener or online.
New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale Fundraising Dinner
Enjoy an evening out and a delicious catered meal to support the relief sale.
