Just a regular Joe - or maybe not

The Beebe Treasure Chest Thrift Shop, operated by the Beebe Auxiliary, is an integral activity of the auxiliary's annual gift-giving to the hospital. The Beebe Auxiliary was founded more than 80 years ago with the sole purpose of promoting and advancing the welfare of Beebe Healthcare and its patients. To date, the auxiliary has contributed more than $5 million to Beebe Healthcare from various services such as the hospital gift shop, the thrift shop and more. Last fiscal year, the auxiliary gave $312,000 to the hospital.

The Treasure Chest Thrift Shop is managed by Joe Pembroke, who originally started working for Beebe as a security guard, but has changed positions and found that managing the thrift shop is very rewarding. He loves his job, believes in what he does, and feels that what he is doing is a way to help the hospital and its patients by raising money. I recently had the pleasure of meeting Joe, along with some of the auxiliary members who volunteer at the thrift shop.

According to Nancy Almacy, an auxiliary board member and thrift shop volunteer, Joe believes in what he does, and he makes it fun and interesting for the volunteers. According to Joe, the success of the shop is due to the dedication of the volunteers. They agree that it's a team effort, and it’s rewarding for everyone to be part of the Beebe family. They believe that the Beebe family includes the entire community, so everyone agrees it’s fun to be able to help people who come into the store. They are considered family.

Volunteer Daryl Daly thinks Joe is a terrific manager who boosts morale, encourages volunteers, and makes them feel appreciated. Volunteer Ruth Patterson agrees that Joe is a great person; she says he is open to suggestions and takes everything in his stride. What volunteer Gretchen Giese likes about Joe is that he's fair and a hard worker – he pitches right in and comes up with great new ideas. In typical Joe fashion, he says the success of the store is due to the staff of 55 volunteers who help him.

What was obvious to me while I was there is that everyone respects one another – and they have fun! Since Joe has managed the shop, they have moved locations to a larger store (the former Sears) at Midway, double the size of the previous location, so more furniture is now available. According to Nancy, Joe will drive the truck to pick up furniture for the shop. Plus, he always has great ideas to make the shop more interesting and popular.

So, stop by the Beebe Thrift Shop in the Midway Shopping Center to browse, and say hello to Joe and the volunteers – you'll be treated like family and you may just find that treasure you've been searching for. Also consider making donations to the shop and remember that pickup for furniture and large items is available. All proceeds go back to Beebe – the best healthcare system in Sussex County. Let's help the auxiliary beat their goal for giving this year!

To volunteer for the Beebe Auxiliary, go to www.beebehealthcare.org/volunteer-beebe and select Beebe Auxiliary, then click the link to Beebe Auxiliary Volunteer Application.