In her shoes…success lives on through a loving gesture

By: Lori Stone, APR, Director of Business Operations & Communications

Center for Business Excellence

As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, community involvement is extremely important to me. My philosophy is simple. How can we expect to sustain and improve our world if we aren’t personally willing to help make it a better place?

In honoring my commitment, I shared a recent experience with a couple of my Junior League friends. We were at the Junior League’s new Thrift Store location (1757 N. Nova Road, Holly Hill) assisting a CBE customer in choosing a base wardrobe of career clothing for a new job.

In the midst of this exciting and emotional time, a gentleman came to the Junior League Thrift Store with a carload of clothing to donate. My friends quickly assisted him, carrying in shoebox after shoebox and bag after bag of professional women’s attire.

As it turned out, these items were his wife’s, who recently passed away. His wife wanted someone else to benefit from her beautiful career clothing and get a leg up in life literally in her shoes.

The gentleman was obviously choked up. We thanked him and he drove away. As we began to sort through the shoes and clothing, we each started to notice how meticulous every item was handled.

Each pair of shoes was rewrapped in tissue and cardboard as if they had never been worn. Each shirt was expertly folded better than any Gap tee shirt. It was as if this gentleman wanted to show one last loving gesture towards his beloved wife – treating her belongings like the treasure she must have been.

So, where did we go from this? Well, we all know the circle of life must continue. After pausing a bit to reflect and ponder on how great this woman must have been and what her day-to-day life was like, we continued sorting. The clothing will proudly join the new and gently used donated items earmarked at the Junior League Thrift Store for its special “Back on Track” program.

The CBE teamed up with the Junior League Thrift Store to provide the “Back on Track” program, which helps get women back into the workplace through outfitting them with appropriate workplace clothing.

In an effort to support this program, the Junior League is always in need of gently used and new professional women’s attire, shoes, accessories, etc. Professional clothing can be pants, shirts, skirts, suits, etc.

If you or your organization can assist us with this project and make a clothing donation, please contact me at loristone@cbe-fvc.org for more information.

If you are a CBE job-seeking customer, inquire about how you may qualify for this program at your local One-Stop Employment Center.