The Green Olive Tree celebrated its 35th anniversary with a half-price bag sale— $3.50 per bag—the week of May 19.
The Green Olive Tree began in 1979 as an all-volunteer Christian thrift shop when the seven original board members opened the store at the fruit stand beside Brownsville Market on Rt. 250. It is now located next to Crozet Laundromat, opposite Music Today.
“The community has been so generous over the years, bringing us their donations of items for resale,” said co-founder June Andrews. “Now we find the laundromat handy for refreshing wrinkled clothing.
“We are still all volunteers. Thirty-five years and no one has ever received a salary. But volunteers do get benefits: the satisfaction of knowing we’ve helped our neighbors, plus the fellowship and friendships over the years. Now we have retired nurses and teachers, high school students, grandmothers, husbands, and ladies who work their jobs and volunteer on their day off.”
The shop will soon have a webpage, she said, now that a volunteer has come forward to create one.
“God has always provided when we trust Him to bless His shop. He’s the owner and we are His stewards,” said Andrews.
The store has given $500,000 to charities in the last six years.
