March- April 2021
Newsletter
Greetings from GSI Thrift. It has always been a joy for me to talk about GSI, including what our store is all about and where our proceeds go. GSI Thrift is celebrating 25 years! We started the same year as Great Plains and our proceeds have helped them with numerous classroom needs, paving the parking lot, gym bleachers, student scholarships and so much more. Each year at our Good Stewards Inc annual meeting, we share the news of how many dollars have been generated for Great Plains and other requests. Over the years we have exceeded one million dollars in contributions.
You are invited! Good Stewards Annual meeting is Sunday, March 14th at 1:00 pm at Great Plains Lutheran High School. We have so many interesting things to tell you ---------. All are invited! After the meeting you can stay and take in the GPL Easter Concert at 2:30!
It is with mixed feelings that I am announcing my retirement after twenty five years as manager. I know I will miss the camaraderie with fellow employees and volunteers and customers. So many friendships have developed and stuck over the years. Our volunteers come from many area WELS churches and that is the status I have decided to enjoy! Volunteering!! You will see me as a volunteer and I hope at other social gatherings as we try to get beyond covid.
This spring we had a progressive sale with everything in the store going on sale. By Friday, it was 90% off and it certainly did clean out our merchandise. With the sale, there were many new shoppers and all were appreciative of the special sale. I don’t think I have seen the store that empty since we moved in. We have been restocking and can certainly use your donations. We are in need of furniture, bedding, towels, boxspring and mattresses, tools, garage and garden type items, and bikes. We ask that they are in working condition and clean when you bring them in.
Items we currently have include spring clothing, along with prom dresses and men’s suits. Come in and check out our spring and Easter decor, a fun way to decorate! We have an assortment of pots and pans, small appliances, sets of dishes and glassware.
May love and laughter light your days and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours wherever you may roam
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
November - December 2020
Newsletter
Greetings from GSI Thrift. As we are experiencing some of the tribulation God predicted as we journey to heaven, may we always remember that he is in control and we give thanks.
“Heavenly Father, as we look around, we see that you have bountifully blessed us in so many ways with so many things. You have provided much more than just our daily needs. We thank you for these blessings but especially for so graciously giving us your Son, our Lord. Through him you have showered us with the blessings of forgiveness, a purpose in life, and eternal life in paradise—no strings attached. For all these blessings, we give thanks.”
At GSI Thrift, for the holiday season, we have two stores. Our Holiday store is located ½ block north of our main GSI building. During this pandemic, the additional building gives us plenty of space to spread the merchandise out and gives you the opportunity to social distance as you shop. Some of the things you will find include:
- Furniture. Everything from dining room tables and chairs, bedroom sets, buffets, living room furniture, lamps, and many smaller pieces
- Sets of holiday dishes and glassware
- Christmas trees, wreaths, lights and ornaments
- A variety of books
- Selections of pretty jewelry
- Toys in good shape and some vintage toys
- Christmas clothing - from informal, to “ugly sweaters”, to formal wear.
Check out the GSI monthly calendar for store specials at both locations.
We have had requests for children’s winter coats, boots and snow pants in all sizes. We can also use white Christmas trees, slender Christmas trees, baby gates, ice skates, nice children’s books and toys.
Upcoming events:
- Nov and Dec.: Both stores open: Mondays 9:30 - 5:30pm, Saturdays 9:30-4pm
- November 14th: Fall Festival at Great Plains Lutheran High School 1:30-6:00pm and online at gplhs.org
- November 27th: Downtown Lighted Parade (goes right past GSI Thrift) 6:30 pm
Our prayer this Holiday season is that God give you and your families great joy and good health.
Sincerely,
Newsletter
September-October 2020,
Greetings from GSI Thrift. It is hard to see the summer months leave, but at GSI we love the early signs of fall. We are coming into “sweater weather”! You’ll find our racks have autumn clothing and accessories, along with fall decor for decorating.
New location for our holiday store: We will again have a Halloween/Christmas store, but at a new location. We will be at 115 1st St. NW, which is ½ block straight north of our store. It is the former Lazer Tag building. The building will give us space for selling Halloween and Christmas items, along with some furniture. Our holiday store will be opening on October 1st.
We need your help: Operating two stores means we need more volunteers. We need your help getting the holiday store ready. We have carpet to clean, boxes and shelves to move over and the setting up of displays. Once the store opens, we will need help running a cash register, packing up purchases and daily cleaning. We invite your help at either location. Give GSI Thrift a call at 605-882-9955 for times you would be available.
Requests: We can use Halloween costumes and wigs. We have had requests for childrens winter coats, snow pants, boots and shoes. We can always use men’s and boys’ jeans and coveralls. We welcome furniture donations. GSI can take newer flat screen TV’s, playstation and Wii games, turntables and DVD and VCR players, as long as they are clean and in good working condition. We can also recycle your collection of plastic bags as we go through a lot of them!
Items we currently have: We currently have a washer and dryer, a couple of bedroom sets, two hideabeds, a loveseat, a curio cabinet, a glider rocker, a coffee table and end tables, lamps and numerous chairs (some folding chairs).
We are showered with blessings everyday. May we always be appreciative and have a thankful heart. May God keep you safe and healthy.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
Newsletter
July - August 2020
Greetings from GSI Thrift. We hope this finds you well and enjoying the summer. GSI is back to being open six days a week, Monday through Saturday. We appreciate your donations AND we appreciate your shopping with us. As one customer put it; “Stop at GSI first before you shop elsewhere and see if they have what you are looking for!” Another customer made the comment that he came looking for shorts and bought 2 pair, with new store tags, for $5.00 each. He mentioned that he would have had to pay $20.00 each at a retail store. Shop at GSI as a way to help support Great Plains Lutheran High School.
We have a monthly sales calendar available at GSI Thrift. You can also find the calendar on our facebook page and on our webpage. Some highlights for July will be a Bag Sale on July 18th. A bag sale is all the clothing you can put in a bag for $3.00
Donations: We are asking that you make an appointment to bring donations to GSI Thrift. Donations have been coming in rapidly, so this better helps us keep up with the incoming donations.
Items we could use: GSI has had requests for microwaves, small refrigerators, fans, toasters, electric knives, CD players and record players/turntables, towels, sheets and silverware. We also get requests for men’s jeans, western shirts and bib overalls.
Some of the items we currently have at GSI include an Ashley Signature Queen size bedroom set, hideabed and loveseat set, matching recliner and reclining loveseat, desks, table and chairs, a variety of pictures and wall decor, DVD and VCR players, as well as DVDs and VCR tapes. A couple of the more unusual items include a Snoopy umbrella from the 1960’s, a Jacobs lefse board, portable pitching baseball machine, and some crystal glassware. It's never to early to start “Back to School” shopping, whether it is grade school, high school or even college. We have a good selection of clothing for the entire family.
Volunteering: GSI Thrift has a volunteer program that you can sign up for, and your volunteer hours can go toward a grant for a Great Plains student. Requirements are to volunteer at GSI Thrift a minimum of 96 hours from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. If interested in this program, please give us a call in the next couple weeks.
May we rest assured in our Savior’s love all of our days. Every day God thinks of you. Every hour God looks after you. Every minute God cares for you because every second, HE loves you!
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
Newsletter
May - June 2020
Greetings from GSI Thrift. Happy May Day - Happy May month! We have certainly faced some new challenges since our last newsletter. We are thinking of you and the impacts you have had to figure out with staying healthy, social distancing, work or no work, school work, grocery shopping, etc. We hope this finds you doing well and counting the many blessings that come your way each day. We can live our lives with the certainty that our Lord is in control. “We should fear, love and trust in God above all things, and call upon His name in every trouble, pray, praise and give thanks.” Remembering the first and second commandments.
Hours: GSI Thrift has temporarily changed its hours during the covid outbreak. Currently we are closed on Mondays , open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. We are following CDC recommendations for sanitizing and social distancing between customers and employees. As conditions improve our hours will change back to normal. GSI is recommending that volunteers use their own judgement when considering volunteering. Store calendars are available at GSI Thrift, or also on our facebook or webpage. We have a Mother’s Day promotion currently going on. Now through Friday, May 8th, you can register a “Special Mom” for a GSI Thrift gift certificate.
Items at GSI Thrift: We currently have a very nice selection of clothing for the entire family. We continue to run sales to try and keep inventory moving. Other items we currently have include a Lazyboy hideabed sofa, living room chairs, Whirlpool flat top electric stove, Frigidaire Affinity front loading dryer, table and chairs, queen size boxspring and mattress, lamps, end tables, a bookshelf and sports items.
Items we could use: We have had requests for bed frames, small appliances and electrical items, furniture, baseball gloves, bats and balls, bikes, baby gates, strollers and gardening items.
GSI Thrift is here for you, and if you do not want to be amongst people, let us know what your needs are and we will try and assist you! Give us a call at 882-9955.
Graduates, we are proud of you! Happy Mother’s Day to all Moms!
Father's Day is not far behind - June 14th!!
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
Newsletter
January-February 2020
Greetings from GSI Thrift and blessings in the New Year. A New Year’s prayer for all of us: “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6
Thank you for your support of GSI Thrift through your shopping, volunteer time, and donations given. We have had a good year with items coming in and going out. Our Christmas store will be closing its doors on Saturday, January 4th, 2020, as we sell out the remaining Christmas items. At our upcoming Good Stewards annual meeting, we will share the results of 2019.
Cleaning and maintenance: GSI will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, January 13th and 14, for store cleaning and maintenance. We can definitely use your help on either or both days. We can also use help moving shelving back to the main store from the Christmas store.
We have a good selection of winter clothing for ladies, men and children. We currently have a sofa and loveseat, TV or buffet stand, living room chairs, lamps, twin size boxspring and mattress, Kenmore sewing machine, vaporizers and humidifiers, baby crib, china and glassware, a silver service and an Onida set of silverware. For the “stay inside” days of winter we have books, puzzles, games, crafts and material. Our inventory changes daily, so we invite you to stop in often.
GSI has had requests for children’s snow pants and boots, ladies’ dresses, chest of drawers, bed frames, table and chairs, microwaves and small appliances. We have also had requests for antiques, stereos, records and occasionally for VCR and DVD players.
Our January sales calendar is ready and can be picked up at GSI or viewed on FB. We have a daily sales special, where you will find some additional good winter clearance sales.
Upcoming events include our annual Good Stewards Inc. meeting. It is at this time that we give out our proceeds to GPL and other requests. We will update you on the date of the meeting.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, Manager GSI Thrift
July - August 2019
Greetings from GSI Thrift!. The 4th of July has come and gone and we hope you enjoyed celebrations of our freedom in the USA. Again this year, I think the summer clock speeds up and goes much faster than it does in the winter months. I have a question for you to think over….. Guess how many items we sold during the month of June? Another question might be how many things were donated during the month of June. We are keeping very busy!
GSI has a nice selection of furniture. Currently we have a table with four chairs, a drop leaf table with two chairs, oval table, flexsteel reclining chairs with matching ottoman, glider rocker with footrest, hideabeds, futon, living room chairs and lamps. We also have a queen size platform bed frame with drawers and a queen size bed with matching side shelving and drawers. GSI has a variety of glassware from dish sets to vintage Fenton, cookware and baking supplies. Start thinking about students going off to college or renting their first apartment and what supplies they may need. Great summer sales will be taking place during the month of July. We put out a monthly sale calendar which can be picked up at GSI Thrift or viewed on our facebook or website pages. We will have some great clothing sales, including everything from pretty dresses to jeans. Back to school clothing will start coming out in July.
Upcoming Events: Downtown Watertown is planning a “Discover Downtown” event on Saturday, July 27th and we plan to stay open until 7pm. Stay tuned as we plan for that event. Come down and see what a great downtown Watertown has.
Volunteers are always appreciated at GSI Thrift. We invite you to come spend a day with us or a couple hours. We appreciate a call ahead of time so we know how many volunteers are coming and can have work lined up for you. Some of the daily jobs are sorting, cleaning household items, ironing, straightening areas on the store floor, fixing and checking electrical items.
Did you know that GSI has a special area for crafts and material, books, jewelry, antiques and a mens mall (garage type things). You can find a list of what we do and don’t take on our website or ask for a list at the store.
Requests: We have had requests for fans, bed frames, box springs and mattresses, bookshelves, shower chair, canning jars and small appliances. We could use items for back to school college kids such as small refrigerators, microwaves, pots and pans, baking supplies and silverware.
Back to my first question: How many items did we sell at GSI during June? The answer is 11,083. That averages out to 443 items a day! If bringing in bigger donations, we appreciate a call first as we are always scrambling for room. Enjoy your summer AND always give thanks to our Lord for the many blessings he gives.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson
March - April, 2019
Greetings from GSI Thrift. Are you looking forward to some warmer weather? We are at GSI Thrift! I think March is coming in like a penguin loving the cold! Spring will come and we are getting ready by changing our racks over from winter clothing to spring! We will have spring dresses for young and old, along with a selection of prom dresses, jewelry, purses and shoes.
Items we currently have include a sofa, living room chairs, gas dryer, toaster ovens, griddles, electric fry pans, humidifiers, sets of dishes and glassware. We have a couple baby cribs and a baby swing. We also have some vintage Lefton dishes and Norcrest fish and bubbles. Our inventory changes daily!
Upcoming events
* March 10th - Good Stewards Inc (GSI Thrift) Annual meeting will be held at St. Martins
fellowship hall, preceded by 1pm luncheon for volunteers that have volunteered this past year.
* 2pm Annual meeting
* 3:30pm GPLHS will have their Spring Concert at Great Plains High School gym* March 16th St Patricks Day parade at noon with other city festivities.
Did you know: GSI Thrift has….
- A monthly hand out calendar with daily specials
- Every Wednesday is “Senior Discount Day” with 10% off for all 55 years and older.
- A facebook page that tells of new merchandise arrivals
- We have buyers for our unwearable 100% cotton t-shirts, to be used as rags.
- We have received 14 new sewn quilts. Would be perfect for your home or camper!
- Silent Auction items We currently have a new handmade quilt in spring colors and a windmill design.. Size is 72”x88” and will be on Silent auction Stop or call GSI and place a bid.
- GSI Thrift has graduation gowns in many different colors. If you could use about 30 black gowns, we have them!
Items we have had requests for include table and chairs, bed frames, boxspring and matresse’s, chest of drawers, and dehumidifiers. We can use gardening tools, baseball gloves and balls.
We again have a huge collection of cute Easter Bunnies, baskets and eggs, so be sure and stop for all your Easter needs!
Easter Blessings,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
January-February 2019
Greetings from GSI Thrift and blessings in the New Year! We thank our Lord for guiding us through this past year. Once again we were blessed more richly than we deserve. We give thanks for each day as we look back and also look forward! May your 2019 be one filled with trust in our Lord and Savior.
Weather in the Midwest can produce lots of activity or it can shut down all plans for the day. Today is one of those days in South Dakota, where snow is falling and the winds are blowing, producing blizzard conditions. Thus, I will enjoy a day inside - at home. GSI Thrift still has a supply of winter coats, boots, and accessories for you to choose from. We also have a few shovels left! Other items you can find at GSI include a sofa and loveseat, armoire, glass table and chairs, end tables, baby crib, queen size bed and exercise equipment. Valentine supplies and decor can also be found at GSI.
We enjoyed having our GSI Christmas store at a second location again this year. We appreciated all the shoppers and those of you that volunteered to help make it a success! Approximately 90 Christmas trees (1’ to 12’ in size) were sold. We still have one twelve foot Christmas tree and would love to find it a home, as it is hard to store a twelve foot tree. We have some shelving for sale at the Christmas store and we will need to move some shelving back to the main store. We welcome some muscle help to get that done.
STORE CLEANING: With the New Year comes our annual store cleaning. WE NEED YOUR HELP on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, January 7, 8, and 9th. GSI Thrift will be closed on those days while we do the cleaning. Give a call at 882-9955, letting us know if you can help. The more hands, the faster we will get done.
We invite you to come shopping! Our January sales calendar is ready and can be picked up at GSI or viewed on FB. We have a daily sales special, where you will find some additional good winter clearance sales.
Upcoming events include our annual Good Stewards Inc. meeting. It is at this time that we give out our proceeds to GPL and other requests. We will update you on the date.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
November - December 2018
Greetings from GSI Thrift. A good reminder that we need at GSI which I thought I would share with you is from Romans 12: 11-13. “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
At GSI Thrift we have two stores operating through Dec. 31st. We rented the building across the street from our current location and used it as our Halloween store, filling it with costumes and Halloween decor. By November 3rd, we will have transformed it into our Christmas store, supplying it with all our Christmas decor. You will find Christmas trees, lights, wreaths, nativities, tins and more. We invite you to come shop for your Christmas needs.
We are also asking for your help as a volunteer! Running both stores is a big undertaking and we ask for your volunteer spirit to spend some time at either store. It can be assisting at the cash register, setting up Christmas trees, sorting clothing, etc. We will especially need help on November 9th and 10th and November 24th through December 1st/
We have had requests for furniture. Some items requested include sofas, recliners, dining chairs, chest of drawers, bed frames and book shelves.
Items we currently have at GSI Thrift include a roll top desk, numerous kitchen/dining room tables, four bar stools, two drawer file cabinets, swivel rocker, lamps, coat tree, sets of dishes and glassware.
We would like to be your “gift idea headquarters”. Some items you may find:
Newsletter
September – October 2018
Greetings from GSI Thrift. We have enjoyed the months of summer and are quickly seeing and feeling the start of fall. A true sign ….. school has started once again. At GSI Thrift we enjoyed the help of a couple college students this summer as well as the help of high school students working toward the GPL Student Tuition Grant program. If you would like more info about the “student grant program,” be sure to ask at GPLHS or at GSI Thrift. Volunteers that sign up for the program and work a total of 96+ hours during the year qualify for a grant for a student the following school year.
Thank you! GSI Thrift says thank you to the anonymous donor that donated a new refrigerator to GSI Thrift, after hearing that ours had died. The thoughtfulness of their gesture toward GSI will be appreciated and enjoyed for many years to come. Thank you!
Items we currently have at GSI Thrift include a sofa, loveseat, glass top table, armoire, queen size camper mattress, queen size bed frame, four IKEA stools,a treadmill, two flutes and drum pads, a very large bird cage and an assortment of comforters and bedspreads. We have a selection of Panther wear, St. Martins wear and Arrows wear. Be sure to stop into GSI Thrift and pick up a calendar of our daily specials. Some of the specials include Monday Freebies, Wednesday Senior Citizen discounts, a day of ladies clothing ½ price, mens clothing ½ price and kids clothing ½ price, along with many other specials. We have begun putting out fall items and clothing. Winter coats will begin arriving in September.
Requests: Items that we are in need of at GSI include furniture of all types. We have had requests for dressers and chest of drawers, kitchen chairs, a bakers rack, electric meat grinder and frying pans, dehumidifiers and a library book cart. We could also use Halloween costumes and wigs.
Fall Happenings:
Sept. 7th: Grandparents Day at GPLHS. Grandparents - Buy an item at GSI for ½ off!
Sept. 8th: Vintiques Car Show on Kemp Ave. GSI Thrift again will be serving hot dogs, chili dogs and hotrod dogs with all the fixings. It will take place beside our building from 11am – 3:30pm. We invite you to come and enjoy a hot dog and cookies, and an afternoon of shopping and viewing the Vintiques 350+ cars.
Sept. 29th: Getting 2nd location ready for the Halloween store! We will offer Halloween items at our second location, 115 West Kemp (across the street).
October 1st thru October 31st: Shop GSI Thrift AND GSI Halloween Store!
November 3rd thru December 29th: Shop GSI and our Christmas Store at 115 West Kemp!
We need your help! On a daily basis we need volunteers to help.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
102 West Kemp Watertown, SD 57201 605-882-9955
Store Hours:Monday - Friday 9:30 - 5:30; Saturday 9:30- 4:00
gsithrift.com gsithrift102w@gmail.com and on Facebook
Newsletter
July - August 2017
Greetings from GSI Thrift. Did you ever wonder what the prettiest thing was that you had to wear? Do your thoughts go to your clothes closet? Well… it is your smile! “The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones” Proverbs 15:30
We would like to share our smiles with you! Come shopping at GSI Thrift. We have a great selection of clothing for the entire family and each week there is a sale for even more savings. “Back to school” clothing will be coming out by August 1st.
Furniture items we currently have include a leather sofa with recliners at each end, computer desks and chairs, a bunk bed set, nine drawer dresser with queen size headboard and frame, 4-drawer file cabinets, lamps and kitchen tables. We have a nice assortment of wedding supplies from lighted tulle to table oil lamps. We have a Trek mountain bike and numerous golf clubs and bags.
Requested items: We are in need of little refrigerators, small microwaves, chest of drawers, bed frames, boxspring and mattresses. Furniture of all kinds! Canning jars are in high demand along with other canning supplies. We can always use silverware and supplies for students going off to college. Outdoor items such as water sprinklers, baseball gloves, bats and patio chairs have been requested. We have could us a small keyboard also.
Open on Thursday evenings: During the summer months we are staying open until 8pm on Thursday evenings. From 4-8pm most items in the store are 1/2 price and it gives you time to browse GSI. There is also live music and a farmers’ market in uptown Watertown on Thursday evenings so come and enjoy the uptown!
We can use your help! We have received many donations this summer! Thank you to all donors! Volunteers, we can use your help! We need volunteers to help us everyday. Volunteers can help in many ways, from sorting through incoming items, to packing, washing, ironing and fixing items. There is always an area out on the store floor that needs straightening and sorting. Guys, we can use your help in the store and out of the store. If you can help with picking up and/or moving household items we would be very thankful. Give us a call and let us know when you might be available and we’ll check with you when the needs arise.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
Newsletter
May - June 2017
Greetings from GSI Thrift. Congratulations to all graduates from kindergarten to college! “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6
Volunteer Grant Program: Attention to parents who will have students attending Great Plains Lutheran High School. GSI offers a volunteer program that gives you the opportunity to work 96 hours during the year at GSI Thrift, generating a grant for a student. Students who will be in eighth grade for the 2017 -2018 school year and plan to attend GPLHS may be eligible for a grant from the high school. If you are interested in participating, pick up an application at GSI and have it returned by July 1st.
We can use your help! There are many ways you can help at GSI, from shopping to volunteering to donating. We would like to tell your congregations/ladies groups more about GSI Thrift and the benefits it supplies to GPLHS, the community and for your families. We would be glad to visit your group and share our new brochures with you. Volunteers help in many ways at GSI Thrift, from sorting through incoming items, to packing, washing, ironing and fixing items. There is always an area out on the store floor that needs straightening and sorting. We could use volunteers to run the cash register and help up front. Guys, we could use your help with picking up furniture or moving it. Can we put your name on our call list as a volunteer who could help with furniture pickup?
Items we currently have at GSI: Mothers’ Day gift ideas from jewelry to vintage items; furniture such as a hideabed, sofas and loveseat, full size bunkbed with futon on the bottom, entertainment centers, tables, lamps, bedding, curtains and more! We like to feature our new items on Facebook, so check our site regularly.
Requested items: We are in need of little refrigerators, small microwaves, deep fryers, dressers, bed frames, throw rugs, child gates, toddler bed, gardening and fishing items, queen and king size sheets and bedding, pint canning jars, silverware, medical supplies such as walkers & shower chairs. We have had requests for 3x-5x clothing for women and men and we can always use cowboy boots, work boots and childrens shoes. We sell hundreds of books, and could especially use western and romance books!
Wishing you a Happy Mother's Day and a Happy Father’s Day and a joyous spring and summer!
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
Newsletter
March – April 2017
Greetings from GSI Thrift. We are excited! Have you ever wondered what happened to all the wonder and excitement of everyday happenings that children often express? As we get older, some of that excitement disappears or is overshadowed by all that we place in our lives. As we approach Lent, let our hearts feel the wonder of what our Lord's son, Jesus did for us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
You are invited to Good Steward's Inc. (GSI Thrift) annual meeting on Sunday, March 5 at Great Plains Lutheran High School, at 1:30pm. It is your chance to hear more about GSI and how our profits are distributed. All are invited to attend.
Interesting things can be found at GSI. We have had some interesting things donated over the years! We have seen diamond rings, snow blowers, Elvis Presley collection and once we found baby kittens waiting right inside our door. We cannot take kittens or puppies, but would gladly spread the word, if you have some that are looking for new homes! We currently have a very nice Broyhill bedroom set, matching crib and changing table, double stroller, vintage baby stroller, china hutch, electric stove and a couple of kitchen tables. We have a nice selection of pictures, some depression glass, sets of dishes, blue glassware, vintage Spartan sewing machine and fabric and yarn. We have some very pretty (new) hand blown tear drop oil lamps. They come two to a box and we have 20-30 of them. The lamps would be perfect for an upcoming wedding or festive occasion. We have a selection of prom dresses and men's suits for upcoming events. We are also accepting prom dresses and men's suits as our selection is getting picked over.
Tools: We have many requests from guys for garage type tools and for gardening tools. We have had requests for all furniture, such as chest of drawers and dressers, bed frames, bed pillows, kitchen/dining chairs, small appliances, small microwaves, refrigerators and electronics. We are in need of western books and romance books.
Spring clothing is filling our racks. It is nice to see the bright colors and the light weight fabrics of spring. We have clothing for the whole family at a fraction of the cost of new. We invite you to come shopping! Tell a friend about GSI, watch for our specials on facebook and in the paper.
Thank you! Thank you for your donations, as that is what keeps us going! Give us a call if you have bigger items or estate items that you need help with. Thank you for your willingness to volunteer! We appreciate your smiling faces and willingness to help at GSI in various ways. Give volunteering a try, we would love to see more of you, and volunteering can be for a couple hours or for the day.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
Greetings from GSI Thrift and blessings in the New Year! We thank our Lord for guiding us through this past year. Once again we were blessed more richly than we deserve. We give thanks for each day as we look back and also look forward! May your 2019 be one filled with trust in our Lord and Savior.
Weather in the Midwest can produce lots of activity or it can shut down all plans for the day. Today is one of those days in South Dakota, where snow is falling and the winds are blowing, producing blizzard conditions. Thus, I will enjoy a day inside - at home. GSI Thrift still has a supply of winter coats, boots, and accessories for you to choose from. We also have a few shovels left! Other items you can find at GSI include a sofa and loveseat, armoire, glass table and chairs, end tables, baby crib, queen size bed and exercise equipment. Valentine supplies and decor can also be found at GSI.
We enjoyed having our GSI Christmas store at a second location again this year. We appreciated all the shoppers and those of you that volunteered to help make it a success! Approximately 90 Christmas trees (1’ to 12’ in size) were sold. We still have one twelve foot Christmas tree and would love to find it a home, as it is hard to store a twelve foot tree. We have some shelving for sale at the Christmas store and we will need to move some shelving back to the main store. We welcome some muscle help to get that done.
STORE CLEANING: With the New Year comes our annual store cleaning. WE NEED YOUR HELP on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, January 7, 8, and 9th. GSI Thrift will be closed on those days while we do the cleaning. Give a call at 882-9955, letting us know if you can help. The more hands, the faster we will get done.
We invite you to come shopping! Our January sales calendar is ready and can be picked up at GSI or viewed on FB. We have a daily sales special, where you will find some additional good winter clearance sales.
Upcoming events include our annual Good Stewards Inc. meeting. It is at this time that we give out our proceeds to GPL and other requests. We will update you on the date.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
November - December 2018
Greetings from GSI Thrift. A good reminder that we need at GSI which I thought I would share with you is from Romans 12: 11-13. “Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”
At GSI Thrift we have two stores operating through Dec. 31st. We rented the building across the street from our current location and used it as our Halloween store, filling it with costumes and Halloween decor. By November 3rd, we will have transformed it into our Christmas store, supplying it with all our Christmas decor. You will find Christmas trees, lights, wreaths, nativities, tins and more. We invite you to come shop for your Christmas needs.
We are also asking for your help as a volunteer! Running both stores is a big undertaking and we ask for your volunteer spirit to spend some time at either store. It can be assisting at the cash register, setting up Christmas trees, sorting clothing, etc. We will especially need help on November 9th and 10th and November 24th through December 1st/
We have had requests for furniture. Some items requested include sofas, recliners, dining chairs, chest of drawers, bed frames and book shelves.
Items we currently have at GSI Thrift include a roll top desk, numerous kitchen/dining room tables, four bar stools, two drawer file cabinets, swivel rocker, lamps, coat tree, sets of dishes and glassware.
We would like to be your “gift idea headquarters”. Some items you may find:
- Selections of dishes and decor for your Thanksgiving gathering and Christmas parties
- Selections of pretty jewelry
- Toys in good shape and some vintage toys
- Crafting supplies, such as patterns, fabric, buttons and scrapbooking supplies
- Christmas clothing - from informal to “ugly sweaters”, to formal wear
Upcoming events:
- November 3rd: Christmas store opens 9:30-4pm, Fall Festival at GPLHS 1:30-6pm
- November 9th & 10th: Downtown Stores open houses
- November 23rd: Downtown Lighted Parade (goes right past GSI Thrift) 6:30pm
- November 24th: Make a Christmas craft. GSI is one of 8 stops. This is a fundraiser for the Codington County museum.
- GPLHS Christmas concert: December 9th, 3:30
Check out the GSI monthly calendar for store specials at both locations.
For all of our many blessings, we give thanks. May the peace and joy of Christmas be with you each and every day.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
Newsletter
September – October 2018
Greetings from GSI Thrift. We have enjoyed the months of summer and are quickly seeing and feeling the start of fall. A true sign ….. school has started once again. At GSI Thrift we enjoyed the help of a couple college students this summer as well as the help of high school students working toward the GPL Student Tuition Grant program. If you would like more info about the “student grant program,” be sure to ask at GPLHS or at GSI Thrift. Volunteers that sign up for the program and work a total of 96+ hours during the year qualify for a grant for a student the following school year.
Thank you! GSI Thrift says thank you to the anonymous donor that donated a new refrigerator to GSI Thrift, after hearing that ours had died. The thoughtfulness of their gesture toward GSI will be appreciated and enjoyed for many years to come. Thank you!
Items we currently have at GSI Thrift include a sofa, loveseat, glass top table, armoire, queen size camper mattress, queen size bed frame, four IKEA stools,a treadmill, two flutes and drum pads, a very large bird cage and an assortment of comforters and bedspreads. We have a selection of Panther wear, St. Martins wear and Arrows wear. Be sure to stop into GSI Thrift and pick up a calendar of our daily specials. Some of the specials include Monday Freebies, Wednesday Senior Citizen discounts, a day of ladies clothing ½ price, mens clothing ½ price and kids clothing ½ price, along with many other specials. We have begun putting out fall items and clothing. Winter coats will begin arriving in September.
Requests: Items that we are in need of at GSI include furniture of all types. We have had requests for dressers and chest of drawers, kitchen chairs, a bakers rack, electric meat grinder and frying pans, dehumidifiers and a library book cart. We could also use Halloween costumes and wigs.
Fall Happenings:
Sept. 7th: Grandparents Day at GPLHS. Grandparents - Buy an item at GSI for ½ off!
Sept. 8th: Vintiques Car Show on Kemp Ave. GSI Thrift again will be serving hot dogs, chili dogs and hotrod dogs with all the fixings. It will take place beside our building from 11am – 3:30pm. We invite you to come and enjoy a hot dog and cookies, and an afternoon of shopping and viewing the Vintiques 350+ cars.
Sept. 29th: Getting 2nd location ready for the Halloween store! We will offer Halloween items at our second location, 115 West Kemp (across the street).
October 1st thru October 31st: Shop GSI Thrift AND GSI Halloween Store!
November 3rd thru December 29th: Shop GSI and our Christmas Store at 115 West Kemp!
We need your help! On a daily basis we need volunteers to help.
- Volunteers to help sort and clean items. Volunteers to help check electrical items.
- We will especially need volunteers to help transfer shelving and merchandise over to our second location.
- Volunteers to help a few hours at each location!
- Customers: Come shop our stores, it is a treasure hunt with some great finds!
- Donate items you no longer need.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
102 West Kemp Watertown, SD 57201 605-882-9955
Store Hours:Monday - Friday 9:30 - 5:30; Saturday 9:30- 4:00
gsithrift.com gsithrift102w@gmail.com and on Facebook
Newsletter
July - August 2017
Greetings from GSI Thrift. Did you ever wonder what the prettiest thing was that you had to wear? Do your thoughts go to your clothes closet? Well… it is your smile! “The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones” Proverbs 15:30
We would like to share our smiles with you! Come shopping at GSI Thrift. We have a great selection of clothing for the entire family and each week there is a sale for even more savings. “Back to school” clothing will be coming out by August 1st.
Furniture items we currently have include a leather sofa with recliners at each end, computer desks and chairs, a bunk bed set, nine drawer dresser with queen size headboard and frame, 4-drawer file cabinets, lamps and kitchen tables. We have a nice assortment of wedding supplies from lighted tulle to table oil lamps. We have a Trek mountain bike and numerous golf clubs and bags.
Requested items: We are in need of little refrigerators, small microwaves, chest of drawers, bed frames, boxspring and mattresses. Furniture of all kinds! Canning jars are in high demand along with other canning supplies. We can always use silverware and supplies for students going off to college. Outdoor items such as water sprinklers, baseball gloves, bats and patio chairs have been requested. We have could us a small keyboard also.
Open on Thursday evenings: During the summer months we are staying open until 8pm on Thursday evenings. From 4-8pm most items in the store are 1/2 price and it gives you time to browse GSI. There is also live music and a farmers’ market in uptown Watertown on Thursday evenings so come and enjoy the uptown!
We can use your help! We have received many donations this summer! Thank you to all donors! Volunteers, we can use your help! We need volunteers to help us everyday. Volunteers can help in many ways, from sorting through incoming items, to packing, washing, ironing and fixing items. There is always an area out on the store floor that needs straightening and sorting. Guys, we can use your help in the store and out of the store. If you can help with picking up and/or moving household items we would be very thankful. Give us a call and let us know when you might be available and we’ll check with you when the needs arise.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
Newsletter
May - June 2017
Greetings from GSI Thrift. Congratulations to all graduates from kindergarten to college! “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. Proverbs 22:6
Volunteer Grant Program: Attention to parents who will have students attending Great Plains Lutheran High School. GSI offers a volunteer program that gives you the opportunity to work 96 hours during the year at GSI Thrift, generating a grant for a student. Students who will be in eighth grade for the 2017 -2018 school year and plan to attend GPLHS may be eligible for a grant from the high school. If you are interested in participating, pick up an application at GSI and have it returned by July 1st.
We can use your help! There are many ways you can help at GSI, from shopping to volunteering to donating. We would like to tell your congregations/ladies groups more about GSI Thrift and the benefits it supplies to GPLHS, the community and for your families. We would be glad to visit your group and share our new brochures with you. Volunteers help in many ways at GSI Thrift, from sorting through incoming items, to packing, washing, ironing and fixing items. There is always an area out on the store floor that needs straightening and sorting. We could use volunteers to run the cash register and help up front. Guys, we could use your help with picking up furniture or moving it. Can we put your name on our call list as a volunteer who could help with furniture pickup?
Items we currently have at GSI: Mothers’ Day gift ideas from jewelry to vintage items; furniture such as a hideabed, sofas and loveseat, full size bunkbed with futon on the bottom, entertainment centers, tables, lamps, bedding, curtains and more! We like to feature our new items on Facebook, so check our site regularly.
Requested items: We are in need of little refrigerators, small microwaves, deep fryers, dressers, bed frames, throw rugs, child gates, toddler bed, gardening and fishing items, queen and king size sheets and bedding, pint canning jars, silverware, medical supplies such as walkers & shower chairs. We have had requests for 3x-5x clothing for women and men and we can always use cowboy boots, work boots and childrens shoes. We sell hundreds of books, and could especially use western and romance books!
Wishing you a Happy Mother's Day and a Happy Father’s Day and a joyous spring and summer!
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
Newsletter
March – April 2017
Greetings from GSI Thrift. We are excited! Have you ever wondered what happened to all the wonder and excitement of everyday happenings that children often express? As we get older, some of that excitement disappears or is overshadowed by all that we place in our lives. As we approach Lent, let our hearts feel the wonder of what our Lord's son, Jesus did for us. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
You are invited to Good Steward's Inc. (GSI Thrift) annual meeting on Sunday, March 5 at Great Plains Lutheran High School, at 1:30pm. It is your chance to hear more about GSI and how our profits are distributed. All are invited to attend.
Interesting things can be found at GSI. We have had some interesting things donated over the years! We have seen diamond rings, snow blowers, Elvis Presley collection and once we found baby kittens waiting right inside our door. We cannot take kittens or puppies, but would gladly spread the word, if you have some that are looking for new homes! We currently have a very nice Broyhill bedroom set, matching crib and changing table, double stroller, vintage baby stroller, china hutch, electric stove and a couple of kitchen tables. We have a nice selection of pictures, some depression glass, sets of dishes, blue glassware, vintage Spartan sewing machine and fabric and yarn. We have some very pretty (new) hand blown tear drop oil lamps. They come two to a box and we have 20-30 of them. The lamps would be perfect for an upcoming wedding or festive occasion. We have a selection of prom dresses and men's suits for upcoming events. We are also accepting prom dresses and men's suits as our selection is getting picked over.
Tools: We have many requests from guys for garage type tools and for gardening tools. We have had requests for all furniture, such as chest of drawers and dressers, bed frames, bed pillows, kitchen/dining chairs, small appliances, small microwaves, refrigerators and electronics. We are in need of western books and romance books.
Spring clothing is filling our racks. It is nice to see the bright colors and the light weight fabrics of spring. We have clothing for the whole family at a fraction of the cost of new. We invite you to come shopping! Tell a friend about GSI, watch for our specials on facebook and in the paper.
Thank you! Thank you for your donations, as that is what keeps us going! Give us a call if you have bigger items or estate items that you need help with. Thank you for your willingness to volunteer! We appreciate your smiling faces and willingness to help at GSI in various ways. Give volunteering a try, we would love to see more of you, and volunteering can be for a couple hours or for the day.
Sincerely,
Betty Peterson, manager GSI Thrift
