Our volunteers are the life blood of the operation and we hesitate to talk about our staff without giving recognition to the many persons who faithfully volunteer each day/week/month. Our paid staff includes a manager and two assistant managers who handle the operational details of the store. There is no other paid staff as most of the work is performed by volunteers.
BOARD MEMBERS
Mel Neff, Chair
Gene Denlinger, Vice-Chair
Harold Hershey, Treasurer
Edie Hess, Secretary
John Ebersole
Lindsay Harnish
Joanne Hershey
Don Myer
Liz Richner
Kathy Johnson
Manager
Kathy Johnson and her husband, Bill, live in the Quarryville area. Kathy assumed the manager role in December of 2012. Kathy grew up in southern Lancaster County and graduated from Solanco High School. Her past experience includes working in a doctor’s office until she had children. Later, she worked as a transcriptionist for Lancaster General Hospital.
Kathy and Bill are active members of Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren since 1976. They have three children and six grandchildren. Kathy enjoys checking out other thrift shops, antiquing, being with family, working around home, and taking the occasional weekend excursion away with friends.
Kathy says, “I love working at Main Street Closet because I enjoy being around people and enjoy both the volunteers and customers.”
Mary Ellen Gingerich
Assistant Manager
Mary Ellen Gingerich and her husband, Hubert, live in the Willow Street area after relocating from northern New York. She began serving as assistant manager at Main Street Closet in May of 2012 and is also a sales associate at Ten Thousand Villages at Rockvale Square. Her past experience includes management responsibilities with Big Brothers, Big Sisters and also Agape Shop, a thrift shop/MCC Ten Thousand Villages Shop in upstate New York.
Mary Ellen and her husband are active at Willow Street Mennonite Church where she serves on the Mission Development Team. She and Hubert recently traveled with a group to Thailand to support EMM missionaries there. They have three children and four grandchildren and most of their free time is spent traveling around this beautiful county and visiting their daughter’s family in North Carolina.
Mary Ellen says, “I have the best of both worlds! I love working with volunteers for a great cause – to help others in the name of Christ.”
Marilyn Kurtz
Assistant Manager
Marilyn and her husband, Merv, have lived just south of Willow Street for almost 35 years. In September, 2012 she started volunteering at Main Street Closet as a cashier, a new responsibility to learn after retiring from pastoring and working for a variety of ministries over the years.
Marilyn and Merv are active members of Rossmere Mennonite Church and have two married sons. She enjoys spending time with family, sewing, crocheting, making crafts, and jogging. She loves the way thrift stores up-cycle things making them useful again!
Marilyn says, “It’s a blessing to know that the proceeds from Main Street Closet go to benefit the work of MCC, helping people around the world and especially empowering them to provide for themselves!”