VHKAS Thrift Store

08/16/2026

Check out this CBC news piece.

08/16/2026

Why more clothes donated to ch...

Charity thrift stores are being inundated with clothing donations, and the international market for used textiles is in flux, resulting in more and more garments heading to the dumpster.

06/24/2026

We are once again taking donations at the thrift store. Please, don't bring more than 1 or 2 small bags or boxes at once. Please make sure your donations are clean and in good repair. Most of all we want to thank you for your patience and continued support.
In case you were wondering why we needed this slow down, we are dealing with a backlog of usable textiles. Not everthing that is donated is suitable for the racks. Some things may have stains, holes, broken zippers, and missing buttons.
We were once able to send these unsellable articles away to be dealt with by others never to be thought of again.
That is no longer the case. We now have 2 options for these items; trash them or reimagine them. We will, as far as possible, opt for reimagining.
To that end we have held on to more clothing and textiles in various states of repair hoping to repurpose some or all of them. It has made a big change in how full our storage shed is and how much more work goes into the sorting process.
We are looking for creative ideas and help with our upcycling. Doing the actual work, whether it's making t-shirt bags, cutting for rags or doing some sewing, it will require more volunteer labour than we currently have. If you are interested in joining us and volunteering, send us a DM. We would love to hear from you!

06/23/2026

VHKAS has given out a total of $5,000 in bursaries in 2026. Two to recent graduates, and one to a member of our community continuing their education to upgrade from Health Care Assistant to become a Licenced Practical Nurse.

One of the JVH Kaslo grads we are supporting will be pursuing a career as a youth mental health counselor, and the other will be studying Biology.

The VHKAS bursaries try to focus on students pursuing something related to healthcare and this year we were able to hit that mark.

Congratulations to all graduates!

Thank you to our patrons who make these scholarships possible.

06/20/2026

Thank you to the Kootenay Savings Community Foundation for this grant of $2,000 which will enable the VHKAS Thrift Store to launch a new initiative:

These funds will be used for the Kaslo Healthcare Auxiliary to purchase some sewing machines and other supplies to start an upcycling project with volunteer seamstresses of all ages sharing skills and reducing waste.

All to raise funds for health and wellness initiatives in our community, beyond what our volunteers already raise in the Thrift Store!

06/06/2026

We had our Annual General meeting today, and had two directors step down from the board: Annie Ferncase and Linda Ann Kelly Zawitkoski.
Linda was awarded with a long time service award to recognize her contributions to the Hospital Auxiliary for more than a decade as a Director at Large and as a volunteer in our Thrift Store!
Annie organized our amazing fashion show last month.
Flowers presented by Tyler Dobie, Chair/President of VHKAS since 2024, on behalf of the membership.

06/01/2026

Attention to all of our wonderful patrons! Once again your generosity is overwhelming. We are full to bursting. So, we are suspending donations until further notice. Please hang on to those donations for a bit longer while we deal with the overload.

05/04/2026

Save the date: Sat. June 6!
Annual General Meeting of the Victorian Hospital of Kaslo Auxiliary Society will take place on June 6 at 1pm at the Kaslo Seniors' Hall. Kaslo Senior Citizens' Association - Branch # 81 / Kaslo and Area Senior Citizens' Society

04/28/2026

A Survey for Seniors in Kaslo & Area D:
- Community engagement to gather input on Long-term care and housing needs for our community.
https://forms.gle/qSK2J5mrdXpUmW5x6

Discussion paper:
- VCHC Expansion visioneering
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s0iCoLOzC2umQ7Ql0ojSFxJhD_ery7um/view?usp=sharing

VHKAS Advocacy archive:
- A prolific letter-writing campaign on behalf of Kaslo & Area D.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vRDTJi98rWuFLBSzevtXPNvY0HDHqYZq?usp=sharing

VHKAS Early History:
- An inspiring story of activism by Nurses and their allies.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZhjprRJl8qRmm8GlatVYuF7HPdwNfWdO/view?usp=sharing

QR code page is printable / savable for easy sharing.

04/25/2026

You may have seen our new signs, but have you stopped to read the information they contain? We encourage you to take a moment to read the signs and show some respect to our volunteers. Regrettably, our volunteers will have to add these outdated ski boots to the trash. This style of boots are no longer desirable and sports equipment is not included on our accepted donation items list. Your cooperation is greatly valued.