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May 2, 2009

Elite Repeat will reach $1 million in money given to local agencies

Laura Wilson - NewsPress The Stillwater News Press Sat May 02, 2009, 09:15 PM CDT

Elite Repeat is about to hit a milestone.

This month, as the resale store celebrates its seventh anniversary, it will give away its $1 millionth dollar. Who exactly will receive the $1 millionth might be difficult to say, but it will be either Stillwater Habitat for Humanity or Stillwater Domestic Violence Services.

During the anniversary celebration, checks will be presented to those two agencies that will push the store past the 1 million mark in dollars given away, said Marie Hesser, one of the store’s operations managers. In a brief ceremony at 2 p.m. May 15, she said, SDVS will receive a check for $5,000 and Habitat for Humanity will receive a check for $2,500.

The resale shop gives away almost all of the money it makes because everyone who works there, including managers, is a volunteer.

“That’s what makes us successful,” Hesser said. “We’ve not had to pay any payroll in seven years. We just pay rent and utilities.”

Right now, she added, 85 people volunteer at the store, but during Elite Repeat’s seven years, 186 people have volunteered.

In addition to SDVS and Habitat for Humanity, Elite Repeat has also supported Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency. It began with Habitat for Humanity and COCAA and added SDVS in 2005, Hesser said.

“We think they’re just absolutely incredible,” said Ralph Lindsey, SDVS executive director.

Elite Repeat made one of the first donations to the SDVS Wings of Hope capital campaign for the agency’s new building, he added.

Most of the money SDVS receives from Elite Repeat goes into programs that benefit children, Lindsey said, “including helping with expenses for the relief nursery, child advocate salary, parent education and children’s services at the shelter.”

When Elite Repeat added SDVS to its list of beneficiaries, the agency had lost funding because of state budget shortfalls, Lindsey said.

“We were fortunate Elite Repeat stepped in or we would have had to cut staff — more than we did,” he explained.

Kermit Bowling, president of Stillwater Habitat for Humanity, tells a similar story of help. Elite Repeat has “been worth a quarter of a million dollars” to Habitat, he said.

“I can sing their praises,” he added. “They are good to work with. They share their wealth.”

Hesser was in on the beginning of Elite Repeat, although she is quick to say she did not originate the idea. A group of women were meeting for lunch and discussing ways they could help the community, she said, when somebody suggested opening a resale shop.

“I said, ‘Let’s do it. I think we can do it,’” she said.

Of the 26 people who helped launch the resale shop, 19 are still volunteering there, Hesser added.

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