I’m back from a fantastic Cross-Canada summer vacation with friends from Australia. I hope everyone has been enjoying their summer so far and taking some time with loved ones, doing the things we each enjoy.
We have been delighted to add Jen Toews and AJ Hamm to our TOM Team as part of the Canada Summer Jobs program. We have also added some new volunteers in the past few weeks. Hopefully
everyone has been introducing themselves and making everyone feel welcome.
We truly appreciate the hard work and dedication each of our volunteers makes in contribution to our store, customers, donors and the local and global charitable initiatives of the MCC. We are truly making a difference in the lives of so many people. Thank you!!
Gratefully,
Scott Collier General Manager MCC Thrift on Mill
Volunteer Memorial Celebration
Join us at 12 p.m. on August 12, 2026, for a special Volunteer Memorial Celebration to honor and remember our recently departed volunteers. We will share a special lunch together, along with memories, stories, and moments of gratitude for lives well lived and service generously given. Please join us as we celebrate their lasting impact on our MCC Thrift on Mill community.
Please RSVP by August 11, 2026, by calling or emailing LiTunjia at 519-326-3665 ext. 312 or litunjiaolubusi@mcco.ca.
August
BIRTHDAYS
Janice Boldt
Martin (Mike) Sanders
Louise Wiebe
Aggie Halford
Patrick Adams
Charlene Bray
Marlene Regehr
Gail Grainger
Linda Cornies
Alfred (AL) Lehn
Freeda Derksen
Christina Spitzig
Lana Khadouj
Richard Lee
Agnes Berg
VEM Inspiration
Hello Volunteers,
Thank you for bringing your energy to the shop month after month. Highlights of last month include a night with MCC where we heard stories of MCC’s work in Uganda at the Leamington Mennonite Home.
MCC has operated in Uganda since 1979 to implement sustainable development, relief, and peacebuilding initiatives. Your thrift service helps MCC improve food security and livelihoods through climate-resilient agriculture training, promotes community health and clean water access, supports education and vocational youth training, and facilitates local conflict resolution and peace
education. We can not do this important work without your support and we are grateful!
This month’s observances include Emancipation Day (Aug 1), Civic Holiday (Aug 3), International Day of the World’s Indigenous People (Aug 9), International Youth Day (Aug 12), and World Humanitarian Day (Aug 19). Let’s make August a month of celebrating diversity and discovering the beauty of our diverse neighbours. Let’s learn, embrace, and engage our community so we do our part to make Canada welcoming.
LiTunjia Olubusi
Thought of the Month
Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give in.
Friendly Reminder
We’ll be closed on Monday, September 7, 2026, for Labour Day. Enjoy your time away from the shop and we look forward to seeing you at your next shift.
Volunteer Engagement Manager
MCC Thrift on Mill
Welcome!
Join me in welcoming to Adrian, Kaleb, Susie, Jenny, Jason, Marcel, Talya, and Cashmere! Thank you for joining the Thrift on Mill volunteer team. Your fresh energy adds inspiration and warmth to our community!
Recipe of the Month
Susie Jenny Adrian Jason Marcel Talya Cashmere
Around the Shop
Help Spread the Word About MCC Ontario’s Local Programs
Dear MCC Volunteers,
Thank you for generously sharing your skills and time to further MCC’s mission. Your dedication makes a real difference in the lives of many.
We invite you to help amplify the impact of our local programs. By spreading the word, you can inspire more people to join us in sharing God’s compassion for all through relief, development, and peace-building efforts in Ontario.
Please complete the survey below. Your feedback will help us understand your knowledge of MCC’s Ontario programs. As a thank you, you’ll be entered into a random draw for a $50 MCC Thrift Shop gift card. Respond by Friday, August 28th.
www.surveymonkey.com/r/5BY7GJS
Peace Conference: Nourishing Peace Together
Saturday, November 7, Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, Kitchener
If you’re hungry for connection, meaning and practical ways to resist despair in a world that feels overwhelming, plan to be at this year’s Peace Conference. MCC Ontario is hosting an in person event for people who don’t have everything figured out but who want to build peace. Attendees will:
• Learn how to practice peace in everyday life
• Hear from courageous people pursuing justice, reconciliation and care in hard places
• Share food, stories and space
• Take action, like knotting comforters and sending advocacy letters, to remind us we’re not powerless Register at mcc.org/Ontario-Peace-Conference
Volunteer Story: One Comforter at a Time: Christa Bender’s cross-Canada journey by bicycle
What do a bicycle, a sewing machine, and a dream have in common? For Christa Bender, a volunteer with MCC New Hamburg Thrift Centre, they became part of an inspiring 10,600-kilometre journey across Canada. As Christa cycled from the Pacific to the Atlantic, she collected fabric from thrift stores along the way and created 15 comforter tops for MCC, combining her love of quilting with a commitment to serving others. Her story is a beautiful reminder of how faith, community, and simple acts of care can make a lasting impact. Read more about Christa’s remarkable adventure at the following: mcec.ca/article/26142-one-comforter-at-a-time-christa-benders-cross-canada-journey-by-bicycle.
Where taste meets impact
Thank you for supporting the Thrift and Material Resources pilot. We are grateful for your enthusiasm, positive feedback, and interest in this exciting initiative. Orders can be placed until September 1, so don’t miss your opportunity to participate and make an impact. Order yours today and speak with LiTunjia Olubusi for more information or place an order online: mcc-kit-supplies.square.site
