The Opportunity Shop turned 50 this month and volunteers were invited to celebrate the milestone at Levin Uniting Church on Monday, October 14. Photo / Alyssa Smith
The Opportunity Shop turned 50 this month and volunteers were invited to celebrate the milestone at Levin Uniting Church on Monday, October 14. Photo / Alyssa Smith
What started as an initiative to help Horowhenua’s pregnant women has turned into five decades of a successful op shop in Levin.
The Opportunity Shop turned 50 this month and shop volunteers celebrated with a high tea and live entertainment at Levin Uniting Church on Monday, October 14.
Convenor Aileen Kopke said five decades was a milestone well worth celebrating.
“This op shop is run on trust and love and 50 years is a long time for a voluntary organisation to run.”
For founding member Marie Vaney, the celebration was also a time to reflect, and she enjoyed looking back and remembering the early days of the op shop.
Vaney said the shop was started by members of four church denominations in Levin, the Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian and Anglican churches, as a flow on from the town’s Pregnancy Help branch, founded two years earlier.
“At the time Levin had a healthy religious climate so church members were approached to help set it up to offer an alternative for young families.
“We received training from Massey University to learn about non-judgemental telephone communications. We’d help with transport to and from appointments and on occasion, we’d do a little bit of cleaning for them.”
Vaney said the op shop was started as a way to support the community further.
“We’d go in to help these people and we’d see the need extends for more than the young mother and baby, but often other people in the house as well.
“There was so much people needed like clothing, furniture and other items so we decided that what we needed was an op shop and two years later, in October 1974, it was formed.”
Opportunity Shop Levin treasurer Margaret Burnell and founding member Marie Vaney welcomed guests to the shops birthday celebration at Levin Uniting Church on Monday, October 14. Photo / Alyssa Smith
Since then the shop has undergone a name change, she said.
“We were called the One Two Three Shop as we were at 123 Oxford Street but when other businesses started popping up with similar names, we decided to change to the Opportunity Shop.”
Vaney, the op shop committee’s first secretary, helped with the op shop until 1995 when she moved to Wellington with her family. Once she retired nine years ago, she was back in Levin volunteering at the op shop.
“It’s the people that brought me back. It’s a nice welcoming place where we help without judgment.”
Treasurer Margaret Burnell was also at the celebration.
“I came here in 1991, was put in the treasurer role and here I am still. I think it’s good to have something to get you out of the house and get on with it.”
Opportunity shop store manager Yvonne Leyland and original volunteer Maureen Zienert cut the cake to celebrate the Levin op shop's 50th birthday. Photo / Alyssa Smith
Yvonne Leyland, who has been the shop manager for 12 years, said the celebration highlighted an important milestone.
“I think its incredible. In this day and age, there is a big need for more volunteers and I feel very blessed that we have, and have had, so many wonderful people helping us.”
