Carmen Josey, president of the Women's Auxiliary of the Salvation Army, credits the new post commander, Capt. John Dove, and her team of volunteers for the renovation of the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Ninth Street behind the Salvation Army headquarters.

“The Salvation Army has gone through a transition, and we kept saying, ‘God is going to send the right person,' and he really did,” Josey said. “Because this man has a heart for God and a heart for this community.”

Dove said, in reference to a sermon he preached Sunday, “There needs to be a resurrection of the Spirit of Christ. We want that foremost,” Dove said. “Not, ‘nice clothes, nice floors, nice walls, you cleaned it up,' but more importantly when they walk in the door, that they receive the spirit of peace.”

Josey said volunteers cleaned everything out of the two rooms of the store and repainted it, and buffed the floors.

“I came in one day, and he (Capt. Dove) had that whole back room buffed by himself,” Josey said. “The thrift store is a part of the church. This place is a ministry, so we wanted to make sure the thrift store had the same attention as the church would.”

Volunteers have been busy sorting through racks and racks of clothing, sizing it, dividing it up, placing items on shelves, and generally making the store easier for customers to shop and find what they want.

“Just because it's a thrift shop doesn't mean that it shouldn't be a good place to shop,” Josey said.

She said because of the changes in the Salvation Army leadership, people are returning.

“That's why I came back to volunteer. That's why the volunteers are coming back,” Josey said. “The women from the auxiliary wanted to do something to be able to help him (Capt. Dove) and to help us, and mainly help those who are coming through the door, so we decided to volunteer to renovate a little bit to make it nice for the people who come here.”

Josey said the volunteers have opened the back room as a furniture and appliance store.

“We have a household goods room here and we have the plus sizes, and the women's sizes, and the men's, and we have an area for the children,” she said. “And we're always looking for good household items, furniture, any kind of donations, something that you would buy yourself is what we're looking for.”

Josey said those donations are tax deductible.

Dove said he was excited about the enthusiasm he is seeing in the workers and the volunteers, and says he believes in the success of the new thrift store, as a result of their work.

“God can work great things, miracles,” Dove said. “He honors our efforts and what we're able to do.”

FRANK LEWIS can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232.