We held our Community Meeting back in October and had a great turnout,” says Parker Janz, Economic Development Officer for the R.M. of Pipestone. Janz says that close to 50 people showed up and 10 people stayed back after the meeting.
“They were interested in forming a board,” adds Janz. “They met afterward just to talk about a few ideas and the group sounds excited to take on this project.”
The store will operate on a volunteer schedule set ahead of time and the profits from the store are going to be donated back into the community.
"The Board of Directors are only a small portion of the local people who wish to see the Hidden Treasures remain open and operational,” says Kodi Whitehurst, Chairman of the Board. She says this store has had a long legacy of providing the community with affordable clothing and other items, as well as a place to give back in the hopes of seeing new life breathed into old belongings.
Whitehurst says the new board of directors will be working closely with members of the community to find out any wants and needs to better accommodate the ever-changing dynamics of the local area. They are investigating the possibility of extended open hours, as well as an online component to reach out to the many new, younger families moving to the area.
“It is a general consensus, that people want the store to stick around, and it is our hope that we can come together and ensure it does for many more years,” adds Whitehurst.
“We look forward to keeping this staple in our community running, so please keep an eye out for our Facebook page coming in 2024,” adds another board member, Carmelle Olson.
The next meeting is scheduled to take place on Nov. 21.
