A Bigger Sense of Purpose

Superfluity Thrift Store has been operating in Stettler, Alberta for 38 years. There’s something special behind that kind of staying power. It’s called community.

Superfluity might just embody the perfect small town business model: a bricks and mortar store with no hard costs for staff, inventory, marketing or distribution.

Community members drop off that which they no longer want or need. All in, about 100 volunteers commit countless hours to sort the goods and arrange them for resale. Customers from all walks of life come inside to shop. The used is reused.

And the money collected — six-figure earnings annually — is redistributed to support organizations and programs that underpin the community. Everybody wins.

Rose Wesner is one of Superfluity’s many committed volunteers. She started working in the store 11 years ago as a way to keep busy in her retirement. The busy, work of “making things neat and tidy” helped fill her time, but the bigger sense of purpose warmed her heart.

“My heart is with Superfluity and I just love it,” says Rose.

Five years into her volunteer career at the thrift store, Rose stepped up to serve as Board Treasurer, which brought extra responsibilities — and joy. The role includes helping to process requests, and distributing the proceeds to support multiple charitable organizations throughout town.

“It does feel really good, especially when you’re the Treasurer and you get to go hand out the cheques.”

Recipient organizations include local schools and their breakfast programs, the seniors lodges, Stettler Handibus, Stettler Child Care and what the Board fondly refers to as “the body parts,” meaning the Alberta branches of the Heart and Stroke Foundation (heart), the Canadian Diabetes Association (kidneys), the Canadian Liver Foundation (liver) and the Canadian Lung Association (lung).

“We give a lot of support to a lot of places,” says Rose. “I think it means a lot to the community.”

It clearly means a lot to Superfluity’s many volunteers as well. Inside the humble walls of the town’s thrift store they are a proud community within the community. “We all really enjoy what we’re doing and feel that it is worthy.”