by Renee of TeamMadSkilz
Working at the Dollar Tree definitely has its perks. You get first dibs on some really good stuff when it arrives at the store. The music, particularly outside this current holiday loop (that we can only escape for 20 min. before it routes itself back to “Hear those sleigh bells ringling…”) keeps me singing and dancing almost my entire shift. Many times I’ll come dancing and singing around an aisle and run into a customer doing the same thing; we briefly become a duet before dancing along our ways. Most of the customers are so friendly and happy because of all the great deals they just scored. Many joke that we should be called the 10 Dollar Store… you can’t just buy the one thing you came in for. For me, it’s a different, enjoyable retail experience. I couldn’t ask for better coworkers or customers.
Since I started working here, closing in on a year now, I’ve seen my store step up and help out our community in any way that we can. We collected hundreds upon hundreds of school supplies that we then distributed to several Ashland elementary schools.
Recently we concluded our Toys-For-Tots collection and began collecting toys for our local ICCA (a food bank plus much more). One of our employees heard the ICCA had virtually nothing to give to our local families who are struggling during this holiday season. The center isn’t even all the way unpacked from its recent move to the old Ace Hardware building, by the railroad tracks near Shop-N-Kart. In less than a week, we were able to bring them at least ten large garbage bags full of toys. I hear the ICCA is incredibly grateful by such an outpouring of generosity by our community.
They have recently mentioned shortages in other much needed items. Toiletries mostly – shampoos, soaps, razors, dental stuff, and such. Not celebrating Christmas and having once been a young, struggling family, “hustling” these much more needed and perhaps appreciated items felt more meaningful and helpful to me. I delightfully cast the Barbies and stuffed animals that lined the end of my register away to a much more distant place and replaced them with ICCA requested donations. I also added scarves, hats, gloves, baby wipes and tippy-cups. I can’t even express the joy and satisfaction it brought me to assist in refilling our entire donation box during just one of my one shifts with these items. I feel really proud to be a part of something that will help so many local families and individuals who really need it.
So, thank you ICCA for being such a help and resource for all those struggling in our community, and thank you Dollar Tree and my coworkers for your generosity and support. It allows me to be a part of giving something back to our community and helping those in need.
