'Guilt-free shopping' at Goodwill
By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist
The press release that found its way to my desk was intriguing, but it left out one of the best parts.
"Guilt-free shopping," it read, which sounds pretty good at this time of year when people are starting to go crazy with Christmas consumerism.
The people at Goodwill Industries want you to keep them in mind for your holiday shopping. At Goodwill, not only will you find quality merchandise at value prices, your purchase will help people with disabilities find employment. There are five Goodwill stores on O'ahu and one in Hilo. Last year, through these six outlets, Goodwill placed 700 people into jobs.
That's what the press release says.
And while saving money and supporting a vocational training program for the disabled are fabulous reasons for supporting Goodwill as both a shopper and a donor, an added bonus is the fun to be had scoping out the aisles of bargains.
I'm still kicking myself for not buying the red glass plate. I went back later, once I realized its significance, but it was gone. The plate had raised lettering under a bird design that said, "Four Collie Birds." I had never heard of collie birds before, so I put it back and walked over to the extensive monkeypod bowl collection. It took me a while to figure out that the red glass plate was probably part of a set depicting the "Twelve Days of Christmas." Made me so niele to know what the plate for "Lords-a-leaping" looked like.
At Goodwill, there are vast collections of prom wine glasses (why wine glasses for kids too young to drink, I have no idea), including the highly collectible Mililani Junior Prom 1991, "Love Makes Things Happen." (Which is just what parents worry about on prom night, right?) There's also a vintage Kalaheo Senior Prom 1988, "Never Say Goodbye." If you should come across a Baldwin Junior Prom 1983 — "Truly ... You and I ... On the Wings of Love" — let me know.
Goodwill is the place to go if you're ever in need of a punchbowl. There's always a punchbowl to be found. Always.
Kaimuki Goodwill has a "boutique area" with brand-new, never-been-worn 100 percent silk separates for $1.97 each. Nice, you know. Good for putting applique Hawaiian quilt designs on top, or patterns with puffy paint and glitter. Very craft-fair-lady-style.
To top it all off, there's a clearance sale going on this week with some items marked up to 75 percent off.
Granted, there may be one or two snobs on your Christmas list who wouldn't appreciate a gift from Goodwill. They wouldn't understand the thrill of the hunt, the excitement of the find. Some folks just can't be helped. Ne'mind. Just put their Goodwill gift in a nice LH box and let them think what they're gonna think.
That's also part of the fun.
Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8172.
