Category: Uncategorized

By stylist and blogger, Annette K.

I’m a German-Austrian-Swiss-Polish-Lithuanian American … and proud of it. But on Monday, March 17, I turn Irish for the day!

Green will be all around us on Monday. It’s a day when The Unicorn Song’s green alligators, long-necked geese, humpty-back-camels and chimpanzees dance their way over the radio waves – and clip-clopping Irish shoes stomp in cadence at every mall, restaurant and pub.

It’s a day to relax the rules, kick back and come up for air. And after the apocalyptic winter of 2014, we could all use a long, deep breath. St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanting time – a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic.

So get your Irish on and don’t be seen without your green! Stop by your local Goodwill store, where a little bit of green can get for you a big “pot-o-clothes.” Our stores are stocked with green shirts, skirts, pants and accessories, and our friendly staff is on hand to help.

When choosing your green, remember, the more green the better, the more creative even better, and wearing it all with a smile … the best!

Make this St. Patrick’s Day your lucky day!

Special thanks to Goodwill Store Manager Phil Koch and his friendly staff at the Goodwill store in Bethlehem, PA.

Old Sweaters Make Warm Fuzzies

Make your own and enter our re-design contest

By stylist and blogger, Annette K.

Upcycling!

It’s the cool, hip word for re-design or re-create. And with the recent blasts of snow leaving us homebound and stir crazy, re-designing old things into new things might be the perfect antidote for your next bout of boredom.

Visit your local Goodwill store and upcycle with sweaters. Create fingerless gloves, hats and mittens. The ribbing at the bottom of a sweater offers stretch-ability and durability, while the sweater’s cozy texture offers a warm and “artsy” swag.

Take a quick walk around the aisles at Goodwill and pick up a few sweaters to stash away for the next snow day.

But be careful — these projects are addictive. You may end up wishing for more snow.

Who would have thought?

Do you like to re-design? Are you a fashion designer?
Enter the Goodwill re-design Contest!

Our Re-design Contest offers aspiring fashion designers, students, fashionistas and hobbyists the chance to show their creativity by repurposing items purchased at Goodwill. Finalists will have the opportunity to display their work at the annual Goodwill Runway Show on Thursday, April 24, at the Body Zone, just off Route 222 in Wyomissing. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.; the show begins at 6:30. The show is Goodwill’s largest fundraiser in Berks County.

DESIGN CATEGORIES
Avant Guard
Create an innovative look that is experimental and pushes boundaries.

Men’s Shirt Remix
Repurpose a men’s shirt or shirts into a completely different ready-to-wear piece.

Accessories
Construct an accessory (e.g. handbag, hat, jewelry or shoes) using a variety of items.

2013 RE-DESIGN WINNERS
Click Here to see the 2013 Re-design winners featured in Berks County Living http://www.berkscountyliving.com/December-2013/The-Future-of-Fashion/

By stylist and blogger, Annette K.

It’s winter. It’s cold and it’s snowy. Frigid temperatures stop us in our tracks. Days are short and skies are dismal. We wear our staple clothes – the blacks, browns and grays. It’s easy to become complacent. We’re bored.

Add some color, prints and textures to your wardrobe. Don’t give in to the blacks, browns, and grays. It will help brighten your appearance, transform your mood and warm your spirits.

Carolyn Ross, 72-year-old resident of Cumberland County, knows all too well the battles of keeping her spirits up. And during these winter months, it’s especially challenging.

Carolyn is a two-time breast cancer survivor, had double bypass heart surgery, and received a bone marrow transplant for treatment of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma at John Hopkins two years ago. She said, “All those times that I was getting treatments, I always dressed in bright colors.”

When I met up with Carolyn at the Goodwill in Mechanicsburg (Hampden Township) last week, she just came from the gym (yeah, you read that right…the gym). She had on leggings and a cute red sweatshirt.

“I like to wear color,” she said. “It makes me feel young and active.”

Tremendous research has been done on the psychology of color and its effect on mood and energy level. The color red, for example, evokes energy and confidence, while pink suggests femininity and grace. Purple conjures up creativity and green a sense of calm.

Don’t let the winter blues get you down. And Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and offers us a reason to celebrate! And while preparing to celebrate, stop by your local Goodwill store for a quick winter wardrobe update and huge selection of colors and styles.

Special thanks to Store Manager Barry Hackman and Sales Associates Cynthia Diodato and Leslie Oneglia from the Goodwill store in Mechanicsburg, PA  and to Carolyn Ross for sharing her story.

Are you an aspiring fashion designer?  Enter the Goodwill Re-Design Contest. The Re-Design Contest offers aspiring fashion designers, students, fashionistas and hobbyists the opportunity to show their creativity by repurposing items purchased at Goodwill. Finalists will have the opportunity to display their work at the Goodwill Runway Show on April 24, 2014 at the Body Zone, Wyomissing, PA. Doors open at 4:30pm, the show begins at 6:30pm. The show is Goodwill’s largest fundraiser in Berks County. For more information about the Goodwill Runway Show, go to www.yourgoodwill.org/

A library of books, CDs, DVDs, video games – as well as old school formats like VHS, cassette tapes and LP albums – gets donated to Goodwill each year. Donations go directly into our stores, which have whole sections devoted to media. Goodwill also sells books and media online to reach broader audiences of shoppers.

Goodwill has Books on Amazon and eBay

Goodwill has two e-books stores, one on Amazon.com and another on eBay.com. Shoppers can browse our virtual stores for in-demand titles that have been donated. This enables shoppers to let their fingers do the shopping to see if we have the book, video, game or music they are looking for. Our online eBay store is called goodwillkeybooks. Check to see what titles are available.

The online stores work in a unique way. At several Goodwill Keystone Area store locations, Goodwill employees scan the bar code of donated books and media. A computer program identifies whether demand for the book is high. Some of the books and media are then shipped to Reading where they are priced and then placed on Amazon or eBay. They are catalogued on shelves awaiting purchase.

The Amazon Store is Different than eBay

Most books sell on Amazon for $1, but shipping is extra and certain items are priced higher to start. On eBay, the books are sold at a fixed price and shipping is free. Books that are in higher demand are more likely to be available online, but are found in stores as well. When sold, they are pulled from the shelves and shipped USPS media mail. Still, most of the prices are a 33-50% lower than the retail price for trade paperbacks and hard covers.

Goodwill has a great supply of children’s books. If you’re still into vinyl or cassettes, VHS or CDs, those formats are also available in our retail and sometimes our online stores.

We’re trying something for the first time on Friday, Nov. 30 – Goodwill Keystone Area has agreed to participate in a one-day fundraising event called Extraordinary Give.

The Lancaster County Community Foundation is sponsoring the event to make giving to Goodwill as easy as going to www.extragive.org.  The website goes live Friday at 12:01 a.m.

The Foundation will give a partial match to Goodwill Keystone Area for online donations made on Friday.

Your donation of $25 or more will help our mission to support persons with disabilities and other barriers to independence. Donations to Goodwill help people like Mary, a young woman with autism. With your support, Mary is learning to overcome challenges, make friends and enjoy new experiences.

Extraordinary Give Day – It’s easy!

• Donations to Goodwill can be made using on your home computer, smartphone, tablet or other Internet-enabled device.
• Remember, the tax year is ending. Donations are tax deductible if you itemize.

 Even if you don’t give, there are actions you can take to help.

• Tell your friends and family about Extragive.org using email, Facebook, Twitter or other social media.
• Like us on Facebook if you are not already a fan or follow us on Twitter or Pinterest.

 Give the gift of a job this holiday season. Give the gift of independence.

On a recent visit to a Goodwill Keystone Area store in Shillington, a number of full racks of coats were on display.

Coats are donated and placed on Goodwill sales floors each week. With winter coming and Daylight Savings imminent, it will be darker earlier and thus colder earlier starting next week. Winter coats will be in demand, so come in and check to see if there is a coat for you.

We’d also like to remind both Goodwill customers and Goodwill donors that when you buy a new coat, you should consider donating an older coat that is in good condition.  It may be a few years out of style or no longer your favorite color or cut, but chances are it is exactly what someone is looking for. If you are looking for additional colors and styles of coats at bargain prices, many designer brand products are available at a Goodwill near you.

Layers Keep You Warmer

Goodwill stores also have a variety of sweatshirts and tee shirts for your outdoor winter activities.

Finds like this Cheshire cat sweater will keep you warm in your rabbit hole. Such finds are common at Goodwill stores.

Still have some last minute back to school shopping? Don’t forget about Goodwill. We can stock your child’s closet without blowing your budget! Check out our store list to find the closest store near you.