The tradition of spring break might conjure images of beaches and barbecues, but nothing could be further from the experiences enjoyed this week by some student members of New Heights Church in Northwest Arkansas. Several of them spent time volunteering at Beautiful Lives Boutique, a nonprofit women's thrift store that is a mission of the church.
"It has taught me to work hard even if I don't get anything out of it," says volunteer Caroline Pauls. "I would be bored during spring break without something to do," adds Kate Rusack. "I love how Beautiful Lives Boutique loves and supports women all over the globe and right here in Fayetteville," concludes Madelyn Smith, a New Heights Church intern who was a leader for the "mission trip." "It's so special that a group of our ages -- sixth grade through college -- can make a global impact locally."
FYI
Beautiful Lives Boutique
Who: Under the direction of New Heights Church, “we are a collaboration of volunteers from various local churches and organizations.”
What: “As a nonprofit, we receive donations of women’s clothing and accessories to sell and give our profits to five organizations with similar goals of impacting the lives of vulnerable women and children. We offer quality clothing to women at thrift store prices and provide clothing to women in need of clothing assistance in an uplifting environment.”
Beneficiaries: Young Lives (mentoring at risk pregnant and teen moms); Ladies of Grace (prison mentoring and support upon release); Go Near (sewing vocational training for vulnerable women in Kenya); Global Outfitters (supports international students in Northwest Arkansas, missions training and community development around the world); International Justice Mission (fights slavery and other forms of injustice).
When: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday
Where: 245 E. Township St. in Fayetteville
Information: (501) 551-0230, beautifullivesbouti…
"Volunteers are vital to the success of our store," says Melody Taylor, the boutique's executive director. In addition to those who come regularly from all over Northwest Arkansas, "this week we had student volunteers from so many different school settings. They got to know each other and worked collaboratively as a team.
"We all gain more confidence and understanding as we work with women who are from a different background, age bracket or ethnicity," Taylor adds. "It is stimulating, and ... you learn about different ways of life and perspectives. What energizes everyone is that they are truly helping others."
All the things the boutique does help fulfill the New Heights Church mission, which is "love people passionately and love people tangibly," says Bruce Tippit, community pastor at the church.
Taylor explains that the idea of "reselling women's fashion for good" started when she and her husband were leading volunteers from Central Arkansas on mission trips to Guatemala in 2004.
"To pay for our travel costs ... we conducted numerous garage sales and sold clothing and merchandise donated by friends in our community who believed in what we were doing," she remembers. "The catalyst for this all stemmed from the Bible verse, James 1:27, that calls us to 'visit or care for widows and orphans in distress.' There are also so many more examples in the Bible of serving the poor and sharing with others that we wanted to live out this kind of life."
The Taylors ended up moving to Africa but still bringing volunteers over from Little Rock.
"One volunteer, Melanie Boutiette, returned from one of our mission trips and wanted to help us raise funds for what we did in Africa," Taylor continues the story. "She came up with the idea to invite her friends to bring their clothing and accessories to her home and then hosted our first 'Shop My Closet' event. I honestly didn't think it would work, but it was a smashing success. Women really wanted to help."
That led to a storefront in West Little Rock then, in October 2016, to a location across from the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks on College Avenue in Fayetteville, and this month, to a new shop at 245 E. Township St. in Fayetteville. That made the spring break volunteers even more valuable than usual, Taylor says, as they processed donations, priced them, steamed them and got them ready for the new sales floor.
"You can feel the energy and enthusiasm among volunteers as they work together," Taylor says. She adds that she also loves serving the women who shop at Beautiful Lives Boutique. "To see the joy and surprise when they enter our lovely boutique is thrilling. To watch women leave so happy that they have found what they wanted or needed without spending a lot of money is satisfying. We are here to send women of all ages and all situations in life out into the world stronger, loved and more confident."
NAN Religion on 03/23/2019