Kyneton’s first op shop is celebrating half a century of community service.
The Kyneton Uniting Church Opportunity Shop began servicing the local area 50 years ago – and one volunteer, 88-year-old Betty Ward, has been with the shop every step of the way.
Ms Ward was one of 10 volunteers when the church initiative started, but today it has a team of more than 80 people on the books.
Co-ordinator Flo Watson said the op shop had honoured the “wonderful effort” of all involved with a team celebration.
“We’re quite proud of what we do,”
Ms Watson said.
In the 16 years she has been involved, Ms Watson said, the Kyneton op shop had donated more than $700,000 to the community with funding going to groups including Cobaw Community Health, the local hospital and CFA brigades across the Macedon Ranges.
“We try to give as much locally as possible, but we also support a couple of World Vision kids,” she said. “Our volunteers have a say in who they can donate to.”
Ms Watson said the op shop’s success was also thanks to the wider community.
“The generosity of locals is amazing,” she said. “We couldn’t do it without them, of course.”
Kyneton Uniting Church Opportunity Shop is located at 22 Market Street, Kyneton.
