Volunteerism is Ruth Richter's Passion



Ruth Richter and Peggy Ashton-Parker, the star performers in this
 story, present a check for $1,000 to GV Fire Chief, Jon Delvalle.
Granny's Closet happily provides clothing, furniture, and household
items for anyone who cannot afford them.



  Visitors to Garden Valley inevitably discover Granny’s Closet, the little shop of gently-used merchandise in the corner of the Garden Valley Senior Center. Spearheaded by a small powerhouse named Ruth Richter and run by an all-volunteer staff, Granny’s has become an icon of community co-oping. The amount of quality donations received far exceeds what would be expected, or even hoped for, in a community this small, and the shop has become a weekly must-do for shoppers who live or visit here.




A check for $500 to Golden Eagle Radio 97.5 brings smiles to
Babe Boomer and Steamer Bill Harder, proof that Granny's Closet
 makes everyone feel good.

 

   When Ruth and Ron arrived in Garden Valley in 2004, they asked themselves how they were going to meet people. There was no church of their denomination. “We didn’t want to be just retired,” says Ruth. “I had been a volunteer my whole adult life. We didn’t call it that—it was church functions or cooking meals for the school. When we were working at the Seoul Foreign School in Korea, I was a counselor in charge of making sure the students did community service.
This is not a part of the wealthy European culture—certainly not in high school. That’s when I got to thinking volunteerism should be a part of everyone’s life.”





  In Garden Valley, the Richters went to library board meetings, and Ron was instrumental in starting the PTA at the school. Ruth says, “We know about PTAs—massive yard-sale fundraisers.”



GV Library Director, Kathy Smith, welcomes the $500 check
 from the Senior Center. 50% of Granny's sales goes back to the
Senior Center, to maintain its facility and for operating expenses.



  Finally, they found the Senior Center, where both were voted to the board of directors. When the coordinator for the center admired something Ruth was wearing and commented they ought to start a thrift shop, Ruth concurred, but the board shot down the proposal, with concern for “bad smells”.



 

Ruth hands a $5,000 chcck to longtime Crouch Volunteer Ambulance
EMTs, Donnie Adams and Mike Butler. All involved with Granny's
 agree there is still value in used and discarded items. With a llittle
love and repair, Granny's returns them to their original value,
ensuring proper care for the environment.

 Not one to discard a good idea, Ruth tackled new board members the next year and won them over. Thus, in the late spring of 2007, eight women sat in Ruth’s living room, surrounded by boxes of clothing, while a very willing Ron lumbered back and forth from the basement with more boxes.

  The most important decisions made at that time were about pricing. Granny’s Closet is a marvel of unbelievably low prices. “I had no idea what kind of success we’d have,” Ruth admits. “I had never run a business in my life. I figured we’d get enough to have a little operation—in my wildest dreams, I thought maybe $500 a month, some day.”



Mary Wilson, mad organizer and president of the GV Center
for the Arts, accepts a $500 check from Ruth and Peggy.
Granny's is 100% non-profit, supporting the
community first.

 
 Ruth is convinced that when you do a donation project like this, you need to share with the community: “If it doesn’t help the community, I don’t want to be involved.” The Senior Center has struggled, and Granny’s has been instrumental in keeping it open—but they still give thousands back into Garden Valley. The seniors’ board recently voted to split Granny’s income 50-50, between the Center which relies on the income, and the community.

  “As far as I’m concerned,” says Ruth, “even when my back and legs and shoulders are aching, there’s a win in my mind—nobody’s a loser. The whole nature of the thrift shop should be to try to help those who can’t go to Macy’s and don’t want hand-outs.”

  For her final advice, she adds: “For anybody to be involved in volunteering, one has to have the passion for it. You must really want to do it. Find something you can feel that way about.”

  Ruth Richter says without reserve, “Granny’s is my passion!”