JANUARY 2026
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
Keeping our valued volunteers informed
GM’s Corner
Hello everyone! Happy New Year! Our family celebrates Christmas with a big pasta meal and many desserts. I hope you also had a wonderful, relaxing holiday filled with the love and the joy of family and friends. With the hustle and bustle of the holidays gone, I’m reminded, after a snowfall, how peaceful and quiet the beauty of nature speaks without saying a word. At this time of year, we get an opportunity for self-care and getting back into healthy routines. I like the way I feel when I eat just the right amount and drink my water. No one can ignore or deny the simple health benefits of staying hydrated or going for a walk in nature daily. Some take supplements like vitamin C and D. Some gather with other believers for fellowship or take time to meditate on the word of God. Some worship or provide sing-alongs for others. Did you know that Leamington Mennonite Home offers a chair yoga
program (free) to help you stay limber over the course of the year? An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Eating right and getting your sleep also helps to keep you sharp and focused. What’s your favourite thing to do to keep and stay healthy and robust? Send photos of your favourite healthy things or send me an email of what your best ideas are for staying healthy to: pennyhanslien@ mcco.ca and we’ll include them in next month’s newsletter! May you be blessed with health in abundance this whole new year! And thank you, once again, for another year of faithful service. We truly cannot do this work without you!
PennyHanslien General Manager MCC Thrift on Mill
Your Voice Matters: Share Your Volunteer Experience! The MCC Ontario Volunteer Survey is Still Open! Thank you to everyone who has already completed the MCC Ontario Volunteer Survey. If you haven’t yet, there’s still time to share your thoughts and experiences as a volunteer with MCC Ontario. How to participate: • Complete the survey online: www.surveymonkey.com/r/MCCOVolunteerSurvey2025 • Or ask your MCC staff contact for a printed copy. The survey closes on January 31, 2026. Your feedback helps us shape an excellent volunteer experience. Thank you for all you do with MCC Ontario!
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2026
January 2026 is here HAPPY NEW YEAR, THRIFT FAMILY! January 2026 is here bringing a fresh opportunity to reflect and renew—inside and out. December was a busy month filled with wonderful memories. We celebrated the Christmas season together twice! We shared laughter and delicious food at our staff Christmas party and enjoyed time with family and friends while the shop was closed. Now that winter has arrived with cooler temperatures, ice sports, and cozy indoor moments, I’ve learned to appreciate the stillness and quiet of these months. Winter gives the land time to rest from its labour, and we get the gift of time with loved ones indoors. I reflect on the lessons and laughter of last year and aim to create more memories while applying the wisdom I’ve gained. I renew my mind daily through holy meditation and by focusing on the positive in every circumstance. How will you reflect and renew in the new year—leaving behind what’s
LiTunjia Olubusi Volunteer Engagement Manager
MCC Thrift on Mill
Open Volunteer Positions Do you know someone with a heart for service and at least 2 hours to spare? Encourage them to volunteer with us, too! Email litunjiaolubusi@mcco.ca or call LiTunjia Olubusi 519-3263665 extension 312 for more information! • Change Room Attendant - Keep things moving with tidy rooms, friendly smiles, and fashion advice on the fly! • Sales Floor Helper – Love people and bargains? Help customers find hidden treasures! • Donation Sorter – Be the first to discover donated gems behind the scenes! • Cashier – Ring up sales with joy and send shoppers off with a smile! • Display Stylist/ Retail Floor Decorator – Turn second-hand goods into eye-catching displays! • All-Around Helper – Jump in where needed and keep the shop running smoothly!
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2026
VEM Recipe
Welcome New Volunteers! A warm welcome to Afaf, Keaton, and David! Thank you for joining the Thrift on Mill volunteer team. Your fresh energy adds inspiration and warmth to our community!
Thought of the Month “Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him.” — Colossians 2:7
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2026
Suggestion Box Do you have a concern and want to remain anonymous? Use the suggestion box to tell Thrift on Mill your concerns. If you would prefer to talk on the phone or contact me directly, you can reach me at 519-326-3665 extension 312 or litunjiaolubusi@mcco.ca.
New Job Titles As discussed over the past few weeks, MCC has streamlined volunteer roles for better clarity, engagement, and structure. Your job title may now be a simplified version of your previous one, but your role, duties, and responsibilities remain the same. If you need help understanding these changes, please contact LiTunjia at 519-326-3665 ext. 312 or litunjiaolubusi@mcco.ca.
Health and Safety Reminder Please use caution when roads and walkways are icy. Ken, our Health and Safety Representative, will ensure entrances are salted and slip-free. If you notice any hazards on the property, report them to a team member right away so we can address your concerns promptly.
Simple Ways to Refuel Yourself This Month • Take a Pause: Step outside for a walk or say a short prayer or affirmation. • Check In: Text a friend you’ve been thinking about or share a kind word with a stranger. • Refuel Your Spirit: Listen to uplifting music, jot down a few thoughts in your journal, or read one verse a day.
Volunteer Appreciation Event Let’s celebrate the lives of our Thrift Family together! This month and throughout the year, we’ll celebrate birthdays with a potluck. We’ll provide the cake and ice cream—please bring a smile and a savoury snack to share (or both) on January 20, 2026!
Final Thoughts January signals a new beginning for all of us. How will you optimize January’s newness?
JANUARY 2026
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
January
BIRTHDAYS Helene Thiessen Ray Lapierre
1/1 1/1
Christine Close Anita Taves Jacob Friesen Michael Sharron Martha Klassen Justina Neufeld Rosemarie Froese
1/5 1/7 1/11 1/22 1/22 1/24 1/27
Around the Shop
Sewing help needed! MCC recently received a donation of matched tops and backs that require extra fabric to be sewn on the back in order for comforters to be prepared for shipment. Volunteers have been working through them at the MCC Hub, but we need some help! If you or your sewing group would like to help, please contact Alecia Weber (aleciaweber@mcco.ca) or stop by the MCC Hub (65 Heritage Dr., New Hamburg) to pick up material while supplies last. Thanks in advance!
JANUARY 2026
THRIFT VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER
Yulia’s Story of Resilience and Giving Back Yulia came to Canada very recently after the war in Ukraine made it nearly impossible for her family to remain in their home. She was grateful to find work quickly and began building a new life with her husband and young daughter. Although Yulia had never heard of MCC before, when her employer, Sony Interactive Entertainment, offered an opportunity to volunteer by packing hygiene kits, she felt strongly drawn to participate. During her visit and tour in 2025, she was deeply moved by MCC’s ongoing work to support those affected by the crisis in Ukraine. Through tears, Yulia shared her own experience of being on the receiving end of emergency supplies like these. She thanked MCC many times and explained that you cannot truly understand what it means to receive such items in a time of great need. The work you are doing in our Thrift shop is making it possible for Yulia and others in Ukraine to receive relief and hygiene kits, comforters and canned meat in a time of uncertainty.
Anna and her son receive food relief through an MCC partner in Ukraine, similar to Yulia’s experience. New Life Charitable Fund Photo/Pavlo Dariichuk
Be an Active Bystander Join our Training Active Bystanders (TAB) workshop and learn practical ways to respond to harmful or isolating behaviour in everyday life. Date: January 19, 2026 | Time: 1:30–4:00 PM ET | Online - Zoom MCC Ontario does not expect volunteers to enter unsafe situations— TAB is about building confidence for everyday scenarios. Register here: bit.ly/TABJan2026