Dejavu Treasures Thrift Store

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Giving Back

Never had I ever imagined I would be doing what I am today. Ten years ago this May (May 1, 2009), my family experienced the worst day of our life. It is a day I will never forget. Thankfully no one was home and we took our dog with us at the last minute on an overnight trip. Getting a phone call at 1:00 in the morning with someone on the other line screaming that your house is on fire is horrifying. It wasn’t a joke as the tone in her voice said everything clearly. A four hour drive home with no sleep, worrying and wondering what we were going to see. NEVER had I ever imagined seeing what we drove up on. We lost everything... the house was gone. A few piles of mangled up metal and ashes was about all we could see. The overwhelming emotions set in and you don’t know what to do next. I can still to this day smell it and feel the emotions that took over our lives. You can’t get a grasp on things. One foot in front of the other is so hard at this point. It takes time... so much time... never enough. Ten years ago and it feels like yesterday but in other ways it seems like forever ago.

As horrifying as the whole thing was, we were lucky as we are all still here to talk about it, and that is exactly what I do (with tears in my eyes every single time). A way for me cope is to help others cope. How? I am a Disaster Action Team member for the American Red Cross. I go to fires and to help victims. But we can only help so much and often times it does not leave anything for the animals. So many times the animals have to be given up because they have no one to keep them while they find a new place and cannot afford boarding fees. So many times they have to be put down because the vet care needed for the ones who were injured is more than they can afford. What about bowls? Collars? Leashes? Food? Medications they may have been on? A cage for the bird you grabbed out of the house in a hurry and are now holding onto? Where are you going to put it? Those things are often not even thought about until they are needed. There are many resources for helping with human needs, but pet needs are often overlooked. Something needs to be there for them as well.

So I decided, instead of opening up a pet shop like I had planned on, I decided to open up a pet thrift store instead that carries only pet items. I have always been a fan of thrift stores and have a perfect space already next to my K-9 Boutique. So you are probably wondering what in the world my fire story has to do with a thrift store and you have a right to wonder. Once the thrift store is open, I will be making up vouchers. These vouchers will be given to families who have pets that have been in a fire. It will allow them to come into the thrift store and pick out a certain number of items for free. When I myself go out to fires with the Red Cross, I take a few collars and leashes with me and keep them in my car for when they are needed, but to be able to come into a store and look around... there will be items they need that they may not otherwise think about. Not only will they be able to pick out some free items, our prices will be “thrift” prices and very affordable for everyone. After a fire your mind races and is going in more directions than you knew even existed. We will also be putting 20% of sales from the thrift store into a fund to help with possible grooming fees, vet bills, and boarding costs that may come with a house fire.

This is something I am very passionate about. This really hits home with me because I have been there and as you stand there looking at your house in shambles, there is no worse feeling in the world than not having a home to go back to. That lost feeling of not knowing where to go or what to do. I feel the least we can do is help eliminate one worry and that is to let them know that their pets will be taken care of for the time being. Haven't they lost enough already? I don't think they should have to lose their pets over a temporary situation. If you are a parent to a fur baby or any pet for that matter, please open up your heart to help another family with pets just as precious as yours by donating your pet items that you no longer use or things you bought and your pet doesn’t like. You can also give monetary donations to help go towards the vet bills, grooming fees and possible temporary boarding while the family finds a place to live. Thank you so much for your time and generosity. God Bless you all!

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