By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
The Habitat for Humanity ReStore will reopen for the first time since March this weekend.
Val Karl, ReStore co-manager, said many of the all-volunteer staff at the store are elderly, and the organization wanted to do all it could to protect those volunteers and the public.
Store volunteers have been in the building cleaning and sanitizing. Once the store reopens Saturday, volunteers will be wearing masks and store visitors are also asked to wear masks.
The organization had decided to require masks at the store before the governor issued her order requiring masks be worn in public earlier this week, Karl said.
Volunteers have been instructed to frequently sanitize surfaces, such as doors and counters, Karl said.
Donations will be accepted during store hours 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.
The Hays ReStore only sells donated items. It does not accept soft goods, such as clothing or bedding.
All proceeds from the store support the mission of Habitat for Humanity to provide affordable housing, advocate for fair and just housing policies, and provide training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions.
The ReStore is one of Habitat's biggest financial resources, so it does affect its budget, Leslie Wyatt, Habitat of Ellis County director, said via email.
"We are hopeful that with our reopening on Saturday that we will rebound quickly," she said.
Habitat for Humanity of Ellis County is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. You can also donate funds directly through the Habitat website.
The local habitat chapter is accepting applications for a home at 1809 Walnut in Ellis.
Habitat completed several repairs on the Ellis house, including new carpet, vinyl flooring, drywall repair, plumbing repair, installed a sump pump in the basement and painting, Wyatt said.
Installation of the back deck and general landscaping are still in the works. A new oven and refrigerator will be provided through the Habitat for Humanity International Gifts in Kind program.
The home has four bedrooms and two and a half baths.
It has 1,040 square feet on the upper level, a large partially finished basement and a 10,650-square-foot lot size.
You can learn more about Habitat and how to apply for a home on the organization's website.
Habitat is always seeking applications for the Brush with Kindness and Critical Home Repair programs. Habitat volunteers make repairs to homes for people who are in need as a part of this program.
The local chapter does not have any projects in queue, so if anyone is interested, Wyatt encouraged people to check the Habitat website at www.hfhec.org to see if they could benefit from either program.
Click on Repair Your Home for details.
For Habitat's next major repair event, it will partner with FHSU Tigers in Service for Saturday, Sept. 19, for repairs around the community. Call 785-623-4200 for more information.