ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Shirley Bogdan makes out a wishing you well card at the Saugus Senior Center. The center is looking for card donations to build up their inventory.
BY BRIDGET TURCOTTE
SAUGUS — Volunteers at the Saugus Senior Center gift shop are trying to make it a little easier for seniors to embrace the motto “it’s the thought that counts.”
The Boutique, which is operated by volunteers and relies on donations, collects greeting cards and sells them to seniors who may have difficulty venturing out to a store. Proceeds from the gift shop are returned to the senior center and used to pay expenses.
“Many seniors that come to the center do not get the opportunity to go out to the stores and buy cards,” said Joanne Olsen, director of the Saugus Council on Aging. “They are so happy to be able to buy a birthday or get well card here to send to friends or relatives. It is very convenient for them.”
Shirley Bogdan, who volunteers at the center five days a week, said the shop sells about 20 cards each day. Together, Bogdan and Mary Dunlop volunteer to organize and fill the card stand.
“We’re looking for all types of cards,” Bogdan said. “The ones that go the fastest are the sympathy cards and get well cards.”
The center keeps a list of sick clients posted on a bulletin board near the front door. Guests of the senior center pay 25 cents for a card to send to individuals on the “sick list” to let them know they are being thought of.
“People who can, go and visit them,” Bogdan said. “Or they can get them a card from here for less than the cost for postage.”
Staff at the senior center will also mail the cards if seniors are unable to do so themselves, she said.
Bogdan said birthday cards and holiday cards are also big sellers. She hopes the center also receives holiday cards for St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and Mother’s Day.
“During Christmas time we sold hundreds of Christmas cards at 10 cents a piece,” she said.
Charlie Pinksten, another gift shop volunteer, said they accept just about everything besides clothes. The gift shop accepts donations on a constant basis and sells collectible items from Norman Rockwell figurines to antique dinner sets to handmade knit items.
“We have chemo hats made by a woman who attends the senior center,” Pinksten said. “They’re for cancer patients who have lost their hair. They’re very soft. We have a lot of homemade items.”
The shop also sells new gift baskets, bath oils and other toiletries. Used DVDs are sold for $1 each and small Vera Bradley purses are sold, starting at $12.
“Every week it’s different,” Pinksten said. “You never know what you’re going to get. It’s very interesting working in here. A little while ago donations got light and we started taking consignments.”
Items marked with an “81” are donated, and 100 percent of the proceeds stay with the center. Items marked with any other number are consignment items. Twenty percent of the proceeds will benefit the center.
“Joanne will use the money that she gets from this for different things the senior center needs,” Pinksten said. “(For example), maybe to pay (for) entertainment for an event or if she needs centerpieces for the tables.”
Donations can be brought to the Saugus Senior Center at 466 Central St. The Boutique gift shop is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.
