BSB marks Thrift Store Day, contributions with open house

National Thrift Store Day is Thursday, August 17, and Saratoga’s thrift store, Bridge Street Bargains (BSB), will observe the day with an open house and its regular Thrifty Thursday sale.

The open house will be held from noon to 5 p.m. August 17 at the store. Refreshments will be served.

The observance also celebrates the hundreds of hours put in yearly by BSB’s many volunteers and the $33,542 granted to local non-profit and student organizations in the two years since the store was reorganized and moved to its present location at 114 E. Bridge Ave., according to Board Chairman Carol Beach.

The directors recently expanded board membership from three to five and named Nancy Jansa to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Nancy Vargas.

Store volunteers voted to add Cindy Walton and Linda Healey as the final two board members.

The directors reported they have set a firm policy concerning grant applications that requires funding requests be turned in one week prior to board meetings held 8 a.m. on the fourth Thursday of every month at BSB.

Applications are available at BSB during business hours and may be returned to the store or to P.O. Box 133, Saratoga, WY 82331.

Local non-profits and student organizations are eligible to apply for grants for community service projects, Beach said.

Individual students who volunteer for community non-profit groups may also apply for assistance in meeting school activity and camp costs.

Student volunteers earn credits at the rate of $7 per hour through hours spent for local non-profit community groups and projects. They also qualify for a thrift store scholarship upon high school graduation.