New 2 You

Not many volunteers can say they shopped at New 2 You when we first opened. Even fewer can say they volunteered then, too. Although Ed has been regularly volunteering for only a little over a year now, he was actually part of the first truck crew in 2004! Even before the store opened, he and the team were out in the suburbs picking up furniture so the store could open with a full furniture department.

Ed first started while he was still working 40-hour weeks after a friend asked if he could fill in on the truck. These are fond memories for him. When he retired a year ago, he decided it was time to come back to New 2 You and volunteer with some of his friends from Plymouth Heights Church. He now comes in to test and price electronics, move furniture, assist in the donation center, and, naturally, join the truck crew to make furniture pickups and deliveries. Volunteering takes him back to his younger days.

Being on the truck is his favorite role at the store because of the camaraderie, even though it’s hard work. Outside of the truck crew, he volunteers throughout the week on a flexible schedule. He loves being able to come in and help whenever his schedule allows.

Ed’s favorite part about volunteering is seeing the store busy and knowing that we’re doing something right as an organization while being a blessing to our customers. Even in just a year, he’s seen New 2 You get busier and busier, thanks to a village of dedicated volunteers and staff. As Ed says, “New 2 You is really a team effort, and it takes a team of people with big hearts. It’s not all about us—it’s about giving our time for a good cause.”

A little more about Ed: He was born in Grand Rapids and attended Grand Rapids Christian Schools. For about 10 years, he lived in Kalamazoo while working for General Motors, but he later moved back to Grand Rapids to work for Unist, Inc., a fluid application system manufacturing company, where he worked for 18 years. Ed has a brother and sister who also live in Grand Rapids, and he’s very close to both of them. He loves boating and fishing, which he enjoys from his property along the river in Grand Haven. One of his favorite vacation spots is a home he shares with his siblings in Juno Beach, Florida. It’s also right on the water, making it the perfect place for outdoor activities.

We are so grateful for Ed and so glad that he came back to volunteer after 21 years!

For 17 years, Linda and Vern have been faithful volunteers at New 2 You, coming in two to three times each week. Linda works in the linens department, and Vern works in electronics. They each have their own different gifts but leave together as one fantastic couple.

Vern was the first to start volunteering after one of his friends had recently retired and encouraged him to join the crew. Soon after, Linda joined him, and they started a routine of coming in every Monday and Friday mornings.

They both started off as cashiers but found other areas of need. Vern has technical knowledge, so he found his niche in the electronics department. Here, he tests kitchen gadgets, clocks, headphones, and more and is one of the only volunteers who can test and adjust sewing machines and televisions. He is very skilled! He’s also made it part of his morning routine at the store to fix and load our pricing guns with paper and ink. Just last Friday, he fixed and loaded 13! When Linda retired from cashiering, she spent a few months as a sales floor organizer but would also give a different volunteer a hand with antique linens and doilies. Now she spends her shifts sorting, folding, and pricing a variety of linens. When they work, both Linda and Vern have the same goal: to process as many items as possible and empty their incoming donation bins.

Outside of volunteering, they love to play golf, attend events through Holland Home, and spend time with their four children, 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and their families, most of whom live in Grand Rapids. They go to a birthday party for one of them at least once a month! Linda also used to play tennis, and Vern played basketball, baseball, and was quite known for his softball fast pitching, which he practiced for over 30 years.

Both Vern and Linda have lived in or close to Grand Rapids their entire lives. Linda even went to Grand Rapids Christian High School. In 1958, they met through a blind date and got married two years later. They started off their life together with Vern building a house for them, taking care of everything from the framing and electrical wiring to the painting. Linda stayed home with the children, and Vern worked his way up to becoming the president of The Dickinson Press, which primarily prints Bibles and books for people around the world. He had over 130 employees and worked there until he retired.

Besides seeing what tasty snacks are in the break room, one of their favorite parts about volunteering is connecting with New 2 You friends they otherwise wouldn’t have met. When Linda works in the linens department, there is often another volunteer she can fold and chat with, and as Vern works at the electronics bench, he usually has company, too. Learning and growing with these new friends has been so special to Linda and Vern.

We are so thankful for Linda and Vern and their warmth and friendship!