GM’s Corner
Happy August to you all! It’s been a great summer so far, and we all hope that you have had an amazing time with family and friends! This summer we’ve seen higher donations, and more customers through the doors –and it all stems from the work that you do!
If you haven’t already heard, I want to give you a reminder that this year’s edition of the Volunteer Appreciation event is Sept 15th. Keep your eyes peeled for signs and the signup sheets in the kitchens! We’d love to see you there for entertainment and fellowship! If you missed the first opportunity to hear Melanie and me speak about our learning tour to Cambodia, I’d
Health and Safety Tips
This one’s a bit personal, as I was painfully reminded while on vacation just how careful we all need to be around the sun.
Preventing Sunburns
Preventing sunburn is an important part of staying healthy and safe, especially for us all as we grow older. As people age, their skin becomes thinner and more sensitive to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, making it easier to burn. The best way to prevent sunburn is to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 before going outdoors. Sunscreen should be applied 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapplied every two hours, or more often after swimming or excessive sweating. Wearing protective clothing, such as lightweight long sleeves, long pants, and a wide-brimmed hat, provides extra protection from the sun. UV-blocking sunglasses also help protect
encourage you to come out on Aug. 12th at 6:30 in the learning room at 65 Heritage. It’s a great opportunity to hear about the work that MCC does globally, and to learn how the work we do each day matters.
Thank you for all the work that you do. Every little task that we do throughout the day is meaningful, impactful and makes a real difference in peoples lives.
Mark Patfield
General Manager MCC New Hamburg Thrift Centre
the eyes and the delicate skin around them.
Whenever possible, you should stay in the shade, especially between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., when the sun’s rays are strongest. Planning outdoor activities during the early morning or late afternoon can also reduce the risk of sunburn. It is important to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated while spending time outside. By taking these simple preventive steps every day, you can reduce your risk of sunburn, avoid unnecessary discomfort, and enjoy outdoor activities safely while protecting your skin from long-term sun damage.
VEM’s Corner
Summer is flying by! Thank you to all of our volunteers for your flexibility and willingness to respond to our requests for extra sorting help at 65 Heritage. Your support, whether in the afternoon or evening, has been greatly appreciated. Our early morning sorting trial didn’t attract enough volunteers to continue, but it was worth exploring. Going forward, we’ll do our best to provide as much advance notice as possible when extra help is needed.
Thank you as well to everyone who joined us for the chicken sampling. It was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy chicken salad and warm canned chicken while learning more from the Material Resources team. Order forms will be accepted until September 1. Please let me know if you need one. You’ll also find a link below if you prefer to order online.
I am excited for August! Let’s pray for warm weather,
Congratulations
safe travels, and good health for all of our volunteers, whether you’re here at New Hamburg Thrift Centre or away enjoying a well-deserved holiday. I can’t wait to connect with you while serving ice cream during the week of August 10.
Wishing you all a wonderful and blessed second half of summer!
Julie Hause
Volunteer Engagement Manager
MCC New Hamburg Thrift Centre juliehause@mcco.ca
Congratulations to Reese Watamanuk on joining the team for the MCC Ontario Social Enterprise Pilot Project – Industrial Rags! We are so happy for you and excited to see you take on this new opportunity. We especially love that you’ll still be volunteering with us outside of your new role. Congratulations, Reese, and best wishes as you begin this exciting new chapter!
BIRTHDAYS
Brenda Shearer
Arlene Hoke
Gillian Beech
Pat Zehr
Judy Rees
Judy Brenneman
Brenda Wagler
Noah McNab
Judy Turner
8/1 8/2 8/5 8/6 8/7 8/7 8/13 8/13 8/13
Anna Steinmann
Mike Wirth
Judy Entz
Marilyn Dusky
Carolyn Pigott
Roger Dale
Rose Robinson
Tammy Hopkins
Adele Showers
Sharon Albrecht
Anita Hope
Leticia Anieze
Sandra Albrecht
Connie Seyler 8/16 8/16 8/16 8/18 8/19 8/20 8/20 8/21 8/21 8/22 8/22 8/22 8/23 8/25
Mary-Anne Holmes
Simone Veronica Kinch
Jim Nafziger
Barbara Schumm
Donald Myers
Butch (Royal) Kelterborn
Sharon Wilson
Stan Desjardine
Anne Detzler
Marion Schmidt 8/25 8/25 8/25 8/26 8/26 8/26 8/27 8/29 8/30 8/31
A Reminder About Workroom Buying
Our workrooms and receiving areas are where donations are sorted, processed, and prepared for the sales floor. To ensure a fair and consistent shopping experience for everyone, please remember our Workroom Buying Policy. Workroom buying is the purchase of merchandise before it has been priced and placed on the sales floor. Please remember:
• Customers are not permitted to purchase items from the workroom unless invited by a manager to view a specific item.
• The full Workroom Buying Guidelines are posted. Please take a few moments to review them.
• Staff and volunteers must not price items they intend to purchase.
• If a staff member or volunteer wishes to purchase an item that has not yet reached the sales floor, a manager or designated coordinator must price it.
• Workroom buying is limited to three items per shift and should not monopolize a particular merchandise category.
• Purchases of items designated for recycling or sell-on are also limited to three items per shift for a monetary donation.
• Merchandise in Receiving or the Production workroom that has not been processed, priced, or placed on the sales floor must not be removed or set aside without first speaking to a manager or designated coordinator.
Workroom buying is a privilege, not an entitlement. Please use this privilege responsibly and avoid taking advantage of having “first dibs” on merchandise still being processed. Following these guidelines helps ensure fairness for our customers, volunteers, and staff.
Thank you for helping us maintain a fair, consistent, and trustworthy shopping experience.
Ice Cream, Ice Cream, Who Wants Ice Cream?
Volunteer Appreciation Night
Don’t forget to register for our Volunteer Appreciation Night on Tuesday September 15th at 6:30. Doors will open at 6:00 pm.
Volunteer Parking Reminder
As our volunteer team continues to grow, parking spaces are becoming more valuable than ever. Please take an extra moment to park between the lines so we can make the best use of every available space and ensure there’s room for as many volunteers as possible.
Please also remember not to park in front of Doors 12 and 13. These are designated fire exits and must remain clear at all times. “No Parking” markings will be added soon. Thank you for helping keep our parking lot safe, accessible, and welcoming for everyone!
MCC Picks Up Updates
MCC Picks Up, launched in January 2024, provides free household goods donation pick-up throughout Waterloo Region, helping keep MCC thrift shops in Kitchener, New Hamburg, and Elmira stocked with quality items. Since launch, the program has served more than 1,000 households and brought an estimated $300,000 in donated goods into the shops. A furniture pick-up service was added in 2025, serving more than 400 homes. While demand for furniture pick-ups remains strong, we have found that the program is not sustainable over the long term due to operational, staffing, health and safety, and financial considerations and therefore furniture pick-ups will end on September 1, 2026.
The team will focus on growing household goods collections, expanding community awareness, and building local business partnerships.
How you can help
Tell your family, friends, customers and neighbours in the Waterloo Region about our free household goods pick-up service. If you know of a retirement community, business, charitable organization, apartment building or other community group that may benefit from regular donation pick-ups, we’d love to hear from you. Thank you for your supporting the work of MCC in our communities and around the world.
Heather Krotz
Thrift Project Lead mccpicksup@mcco.ca
Bucket of Thanks
The MCC Hub in New Hamburg is also the national headquarters for all shipments of kits sent to countries such as Ukraine, Zambia and others.
On August 29, join MCC at Bucket of Thanks, a family-friendly event where you can:
• Taste a sample of meat prepared in the cannery
• Pack a relief kit that will be shipped overseas
• Enjoy a bouncy castle, face painting and snacks (for the young and young at heart!)
• Purchase canned meat in support of the cannery
This year, participate in a fun and meaningful Soap Structure Contest! Form a team, purchase as many individually wrapped bars of soap as you need for your structure and let your creativity shine as you craft a masterpiece that shows what peace looks like to you. For details, visit mcc.org/events/bucket-thanks-0.
Where taste meets impact
For nearly 80 years, MCC has been canning meat and shipping it to countries facing food insecurity and hunger crises. Now you can cook up recipes with a can (or case) of your very own. From now until September 1, place an order for a can of delicious chicken breast, fully cooked in its own juices with just a pinch of salt. Every purchase directly supports future shipments of meat to neighbours in Ontario and around the world.
Visit any of the six Ontario Thrift shops today to place an order place your order directly on the website: mcc-kit-supplies.square.site.
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.
Join the Soup of the Month Club!
The Raw Carrot Soup of the Month Subscription is available for preorder. By joining, you will receive one of 10 delicious, exclusive soups each month (from September 2026 to June 2027). Purchases support the Raw Carrot program and provide meaningful employment to individuals with disAbilities. For more information or to preorder, visit the website: shop.therawcarrot.com/collections/kitchener/products/soup-of-the-month-club or email mcco@therawcarrot.com.
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