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Volunteers build a better community
Muskoka’s Habitat for Humanity
ReStore contributes about $100,000
each year to build projects across the
region thanks to the hard work of dedicated
volunteers.
The regular ReStore staff are supported
by about 40 volunteers who do
everything from assist with merchandising
and set up to extracting valuable
materials from recyclables bound for
the landfill.
“We have everyone from artists to
people who are just trying to give back
to the community,” says Larry
Holditch, ReStore manager. They also
have co-op students and community
organization volunteers helping in the
store.
Each year the ReStore is able to contribute
about $100,000 towards community
habitat builds with the money
made through the store after expenses.
One special volunteer is Drew Corbett
who comes in once each week to
strip the precious and semi-precious
metals out of everything from electric
motors to faucet sets, separating the
metals to get more money once it is
recycled.
“Sometimes the faucets we receive
are no good but we get high value
from the brass underneath,” he says.
Another busy volunteer is Dianne
O’Hara, the unofficial librarian for the
more than 4,000 used books for sale at
the ReStore. Books are sorted into fiction
and non-fiction sections. Most of
the fiction paperbacks are even organized
alphabetically. While there are
about 4,000 books in the store, there
are about another 4,000 waiting to be
organized and put out.
“It is a bit overwhelming,” says
O’Hara, who is working to set them all
up for sale. The ReStore is no longer
accepting donations of books at this
time.
Ann Sova regularly shops at the
The Habitat for Humanity ReStore owes its success to its dedicated volunteers. As a result of their efforts, each
year the ReStore is able to contribute about $100,000 towards community Habitat build projects.
ReStore and decided to volunteer in
her own unique way. Last month she
taught people how to repurpose glassware
into artistic cake platters using
items found at the ReStore. By selecting
a vintage plate and a candleholder
or similar stand, customers could create
and take home a cake platter
thanks to Sova’s idea and epoxy.
“They’ve got an instant gift that is
elegant, functional, affordable and
environmentally responsible,” she says.
Many of the volunteers are involved
in merchandising, organizing and
keeping the store attractive and clean.
“Presentation is everything,” says
Holditch.
On an average day three to six volunteers
help out at the ReStore and
Holditch says more volunteer opportunities
are available for anyone looking
to take part.
Charles Close is in his 80s and volunteers
regularly at the store.
“I think it is a worthy cause and it’s
a nice place to volunteer,” he says.
Volunteer Debby Andrews says, “I
like the recycling part, instead of
throwing it out.”
Emma Dupuis probably sums it up
best. “There is a lot of cool stuff and
great people.”
Holditch believes it is the people
that make the ReStore and Habitat for
Humanity such a strong organization
in Muskoka.
“Your generosity is our success,” he
says. “It is the time people donate and
the product people donate.”
Photograph: Sandy Lockhart
A silly boy’s antics inspire book
By Chris Occhiuzzi
Inspired by her son’s name game,
Bracebridge resident Teresa Leeder has
turned her son Izaac’s playfulness into
an 18-page book.
“Isaac was two-years-old at the time
and there was this game he played
with me, all day, every day, calling me
different names,” says Leeder, who
wrote Silly Boy in only a couple of
hours one night.
After completing the book, Leeder
began to research potential publishers
and sent her work out to see what
kind of response it would get.
“I literally Googled children’s publishers
and looked up as many as I
could and sent it to as many as I
could,” she says.
Eventually, Tate Publishing and
Enterprises agreed to publish the book
and provided an illustrator for Silly
Boy.
“Tate was one of the publishers I
was hoping would like it,” says Leeder,
who contacted the illustrator, Jason
Hutton, by phone. “He was really
good. I told him what Izaac looked
like, and his little stuffed elephant toy
that he has. Jason put it all in the
book.”
Teresa and her husband Adam have
three boys, Izaac, 3, Malakai, 5, and
Nate, 2. She says the boys love to read
Silly Boy, referring to it as “Izaac’s
book.”
However, Leeder is hoping for some
success in order to publish two additional
books she wrote, Kai’s Wise and
No, No Natey.
“If this works out I know I’m not
going to get off the hook until I have
two others,” says Leeder. “The process
has taken about a year. So, I’m going
to wait until I see what happens with
the first one before I get excited about
the others.”
Leeder has book signings scheduled
for May 22 at Muskoka Vegeez in
Bracebridge and on June 5 at the
Bookcase in Huntsville. Silly Boy is
currently available for purchase online
and at retail outlets.
Teresa Leeder was inspired by
her son Izaac, to write Silly Boy, a
children’s book.
Photograph: Sandy Lockhart
22 May 2010 www.whatsupmuskoka.com