(JESSICA WALLACE / iNFOnews.ca)
October 12, 2013 - 10:32 AM
KAMLOOPS - A manager for the New Life Mission is concerned about money it's losing while one of its income generators remains closed.
Thrift City on Seymour Street usually brings in about $1,000 to $1,500 in sales for the non-profit per day, but hasn't since a fire in the back alley on Sept. 23 — part of a couple bad days, turned weeks for the Mission.
The numbers have been hard on the Mission, according to Outreach Centre Manager Terry Butcher. He says by the time all is said and done, he's expecting a loss of $15,000 to $20,000 out of the Mission's pocket or about $30,000 to $40,000 net sales.
It adds to the stress of the organization while the House of Ruth property remains unsold, after a tough decision to sell to help balance the books.
"It was like a double-whammy," Butcher says. "It's put us in a pretty tight spot."
Store manager Regan Wilson says Thrift City won't reopen for at least another week.
They're currently awaiting the insurance company for the damages and continue to clean the soot and smoke smell out of the front store. The ceiling needs to be resealed and painted and the carpets will likely need shampooing.
"Then we're pretty much at the place we can get that top floor going again," he says. "It's just looking really empty."
It's unclear whether anyone maliciously set fire to the store, putting the Mission in the tough position, and Butcher isn't pointing any fingers.
"'It's not a matter of who, we just want to get the store back up and running," he says.
The Mission continues to accept donations in the basement of the Outreach Centre. Butcher is asking those wishing to donate to call 250-372-9898 as the unanticipated storage space is filling quickly, but the shop will need all the help it can get right away in order to get back on track.
To contact a reporter for this story, email: jwallace@infotelnews.ca, call: (250) 319-7494 or tweet: @jess__wallace.
News from © iNFOnews, 2013