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Tag: Alberta
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A Remembrance Reunion: War Medals Returned
A Remembrance Reunion: War Medals Returned
As we approach Remembrance Day, we would like to share a story of how a military family was re-united with personal heirlooms. This all started with a donation we received at our Calgary TransCanada Goodwill Thrift Store.
On a crisp, beautiful day in Calgary, a beautifully put-together shadow box filled with medals, patches, and a black and white photograph of two soldiers showed up at our donation centre.
Unsure of who it belonged to, we knew we needed to do some research to try and find a respectful resting place for them.
If this sounds familiar, you may be thinking of another set of medals that were also donated to Calgary’s Trans Canada Goodwill. Find the story here.
The Medals
In our research of each medal and patch, we found that the medals dated back to World War 1 and 2! There’s something indescribable about holding medals from that time, thinking about what the recipient did, put on the line, and experienced for the freedom and benefit of future generations.
What to do with the Medals?
When we received the donated medals, we began exploring different avenues of finding them a home. Starting with the Canadian Forces in Calgary, we were able to get some guidance on how to proceed from Sergeant Hartwick of the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre. He recommended that we connect with the Calgary Military Museum.
There, we had the pleasure of chatting with Walter, the Collections Assistant and Manager at the Army Museum of Alberta. He shed light on the origins of each medal and gave tips on how we could begin to uncover the individual who earned each one and what base the recipient had been at by reading the edge of each medal. Along the edges, you could see engravings which read., “J.T. Hearson”, “59162 PIE J.T Hearson Notts & Derby. R”, & “S.Sask.R”.
With these new-found details, the Goodwill team put on their detective caps and began reaching out to army bases in Saskatchewan in hopes there would be a record of our mysterious J.T Hearson. Unfortunately, we didn’t receive a reply, but we weren’t about to give up. Our next step, checking obituaries for Hearsons in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Amazingly enough, we found an obituary for one John Thomas Hearson, born in Nottingham Yorkshire, England, and settling in Wayburn, Saskatchewan.
Now that we had a name, we could make our way through the Hearson family tree searching multiple obituaries until we found a living descendant, a Mr. Kelly Hearson, P.Eng who resided in Manitoba.

Kelly Hearson, grandson of John Thomas Hearson Since we didn’t have a contact for Mr. Hearson, our Google sleuthing lead us to a community group that mentioned his name numerous times. We reached out to them with our findings and they graciously passed along our contact information as well as a note of possibly having his family heirlooms.
A week later, we received a call from an understandably skeptical Kelly Hearson who soon became overjoyed in hearing that we may have his grandfathers’ medals. A quick email with photos was sent and one of the men in the photo was identified, “that’s definitely Grampa in the photo; he was not a tall man :D. Thank you very much for this!” Kelly proclaimed.

The Reunion
Now that we had a living relative, we wrapped everything up and packed it safely away in a repurposed box to shop out to Winnipeg, Manitoba where the medals could be reunited with John Thomas Hearson’s grandson, and his own son’s medals, which Kelly has on display at his home.
It’s an exciting and heartwarming feeling to have been able to reunite a descendant of this veteran with their hard-earned medals. This Remembrance Day we will reflect and appreciate what we have and the life we get to lead thanks to our selfless veterans.
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How to shop at the AMAZING Edmonton Impact Outlet Store
The Blue Bin Experience at the AMAZING Edmonton Impact Centre!
Q: Ever wonder what happens to the items that don’t sell in our thrift stores?
A: The items are sent to our Amazing Impact Centre where they get sorted and have one more chance to find a new home for a fraction of the price!
If you haven’t been to the outlet store or are wondering how you go about getting your hands on some of those overlooked hidden gems, you’re missing out! Located at 11415 168 St. NW in Edmonton at the AMAZING Edmonton Impact Centre, this has become a thrifters paradise. Let us tell you about everything you need to know to prepare for your trip!
Step 1: The Layout
Scattered throughout the Outlet Store are Giant blue bins, with each bin containing a select group of items. One bin can contain a variety of records, while another bin can contain winter wear.

Step 2: Get ready to rumble!
Shoppers line up in the designated section, because every 25 minutes a new bin replaces an older bin and it’s first come, first serve for the items!

Step 3: Ready and GO!
Once the bin is in the designated area and it’s safe to shop, a Goodwill employee will give a signal or blow a whistle when shoppers can begin their shopping experience.
This is your chance to grab all of your thrift finds and items! Make sure you do a thorough search, this is the last chance anyone has to snag these items before they get recycled!
Put all your special finds in your cart and hop to the next bin! There are lots more unique pieces to discover!

Step 4: All thrifted out!
Once you’ve snagged your goods, head to the front to have your haul weighed!
Pricing is dependent on weight. If you’re under 50 lbs., it is $1.99 per pound, but if you’re over 50 lbs., it is only 99 cents per pound!
Please note, that there is special pricing for books, glassware and furniture to save you the most money!

Step 5: Do a happy dance!
Once you have paid and loaded up your thrift haul, do a happy dance! By shopping at Goodwill’s outlet store you not only snagged some amazing thrift finds but directly diverted items from a landfill and supported one GOOD mission! We’d say that’s something to celebrate!

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Celebrating 40 years at Goodwill
A Feel Good Moment
The Mayor of Goodwill
Edmonton, AB (August 10, 2021) – Known as the Mayor of Goodwill, Andre Molik began his journey at Goodwill as an apprentice in 1979. Two years later in 1981, he officially became an employee. On Wednesday August 11, 2021, Andre, will celebrate 40 years with an organization that has given him an opportunity through the power of work.

To see Andre’s story please visit:
Born with cerebral palsy and a learning disability, Andre has succeeded and has made a tremendous impact at Goodwill within the Goodwill @ Work and Commercial Services division.
“I love what this company does for people with disabilities,” says Andre.
“I love it, I don’t want to leave. It’s just an amazing place to work for!”
To view coverage of Andre on Global News Edmonton please visit:
Starting out on the Goodwill assembly lines, putting together bingo cards, fixing bicycles and other various workshop related activities, Andre has elevated his craftmanship to support Goodwill’s Cleaning Cloths and Telus Netco wires at Commercial Services.
There is no quit in Andre and he looks forward to celebrating 40 MORE years at Goodwill.
Good luck Andre and congratulations!
Since 1963, Goodwill has become one of the largest employers of people with disabilities in Alberta. Approximately 30% of the workforce has a disability. This is a commitment to enhancing people’s lives through meaningful employment.
For more on Commercial Services please visit:
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Calgary’s All-New Goodwill Plaza is Now Open on Macleod Trail
Goodwill Plaza on Macleod Trail is here!
This year Goodwillians are feeling excitement and gratitude after a whirlwind of store openings. While we’d never pick a favourite, Goodwill Plaza at 9655 Macleod Trail SW, Calgary is certainly one for the books.

Devoted thrifters began lining up hours before the doors officially opened, wrapping around the entire plaza parking lot – sorry, neighbours! Those waiting in line were greeted by our Goodwill Mascot, Blue, treated to cotton candy, popcorn and entertainment from Bud, a hilarious comedy cowboy, who brought a little ‘yeehaw’ down from the Stampede Grounds. Community members were also joined by Amp Radio who delivered the feel-good tunes all day long. Celebrations began the day before for team members and very patient plaza neighbours with a pancake breakfast as a ‘thank you’ for all the hard work and welcoming shared by everyone involved.
From vintage collectibles by Royal Doulton, Hawthorne Village and Wedgewood Plates, to down-to-earth pre-loved clothing providing slow fashion options, Goodwill Plaza has something to offer to everyone.For more information checkout our Goodwill Plaza Grand Opening blog.

Did you make it out to the grand opening? As always, there are plenty of unique items for you to find at the brand-new Goodwill Plaza location and all of our stores across Alberta. This new store is the largest of all Goodwill locations in Calgary, and is lit with energy conserving LED lights, contributing to Goodwill’s Sustainability Action Plan.
Why Should I Donate?When you donate to Goodwill, you’re diverting items from the landfill and when you shop at Goodwill, you’re making a difference in lives of Albertans. Of every dollar spent at Goodwill, 89 per cent is reinvested in our mission to help individuals with disabilities find meaningful employment. Shop for GOOD, feel GOOD, do GOOD! Welcome to Goodwill Plaza.
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Repair for Good
“I was broken and discarded. Then Goodwill made me whole again. I’ve been refurbished and upcycled. Now, I am ready for a new home.”
The good thing about upcycling is that there really are no limits to what you can create. It’s a sustainable, cost-effective option, and anyone can join the upcycling revolution and undertake a range of upcycled furniture projects!
This revolution has come to Goodwill as our organization goes back to our heritage. Back to where it all began. The Commercial Services is a team made up of individuals with a disability and this team has been working very hard to bring you upcycled furniture show pieces for your home. These one of a kind items keep furniture out of local landfills and provide employment opportunities for those with a disability.
Shop Online
Today, you can now search through our online inventory and find the piece that sparks joy in your life. Browse our products, add your favourites to the cart and place your order. Schedule a pickup date and time and drop by the amazing Edmonton Impact Centre to grab your items – it’s that simple!
Funds from each purchase will go towards programs that will help more people with disabilities find purposeful employment. Our trainers will inspect all items for quality before pick-up in the West End of Edmonton at 11415 168st. NW.
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At the moment, the Goodwill online thrift store offers items for pickup only.
Shipping may be available in the future however, the logistics for shipping are currently too difficult with all the stores and the limited number of items.
Stay tuned for changes and updates to this policy!
Shop with Goodwill and skip the tax all while helping to create positive change in your community. It doesn’t get much better than that!
Ready? Set. Shop!
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Let us know. Contact Goodwill Alberta – we’d love to hear from you.
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The Goodwill Volunteer Hub
Volunteer placements are in a holding pattern or they’ve been outright cancelled since the pandemic began last year. This left many people within our Career Connections division without a place to contribute back to the community.
Goodwill’s Job Development Team took this challenge head-on and created “The Goodwill Volunteer Hub.”
This Volunteer Hub is based out of Goodwill’s Career Connections training facility on Whyte Ave. in Edmonton.
Here, individuals with disabilities assemble and create different ‘kits’ to help spread the GOOD vibes throughout our region.
It began with creating kits for disadvantaged people in the community (in partnership with the United Way). Different groups benefit from these kits and the packages range from:
- A children’s literacy kit
- A senior’s activity kit
- A pencil case kit
- A Thank You card to frontline workers
Other assembled kits include:
- Share the GOOD packages to stimulate local business
Albertans’ with disabilities assemble all items, creating dignity and joy through the power of work!
Assembly options are endless as this hub is a platform for volunteerism and community engagement.
We welcome this community engagement because of the challenges before us. As a result, when faced with CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES abound!
To help create more volunteer opportunities for these individuals, please contact us at:
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Share the GOOD
Let’s start off 2021 by spreading a little Goodwill.
To get things started, local business needs your support more than ever. Starting January 8th, 2021, you can lend your support simply by visiting Goodwill.
Limited Time Offer!
For a limited time (until supplies run out) we are offering a SHARE THE GOOD package just for you! This $10 package contains valuable gift cards to various locally owned restaurants and coffee shops. It is valued at over $40.
This could be the perfect last minute gift for someone OR you could use the gift cards yourself to help stimulate the economy!
Just ask the cashier for more information on purchasing a SHARE THE GOOD package!
THANK YOU!
Our amazing team at Career Connections helped assemble the SHARE THE GOOD packages and provided valuable work experience for persons with disabilities within their Pathway to Employment training through Goodwill.
This team in Grande Prairie, Sherwood Park and Edmonton had a system in place to help create help packages for the United Way and stepped up to use their resources in creating these SHARE THE GOOD packages.
SHARE THE GOOD
This SHARE THE GOOD package contains so many benefits, for so many people as we support, including:
Albertans with disabilities
front line workers
local businessesTruly a SHARE THE GOOD venture!
This project to help stimulate locally owned restaurants and coffee shops is made possible by the wonderful people at JLL Commercial Real Estate, Willy’s Trucking, LiveWell Benefits and JRoss Recruiters.
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UPDATED Store Hours
To help curb the spread of COVID-19 and keeping in mind the health and safety of our employees, volunteers, shoppers, donors and partners, we are reducing the retail hours of operation.
Hours Change
Stores will open at 10am and close at 7pm right across the province effective immediately.
This is an important step to protect those who matter most to us, both mentally and physically. COVID-19 is a real threat to our community and we must do our part to help those most vulnerable.
Thank you so much for helping our organization through this difficult time. Our shoppers, donors and Albertans everywhere continue to make a difference in the lives of so many. Helping those with disabilities find and gain meaningful employment.
























