Opinion - A bright spot in Colfax

It is a tough time in Colfax.

The school district is wracked with dissension. The city is in a mess over the Thompson/Walter controversy. And, in its most recent brouhaha, the county courthouse is trying to find hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost money and come up with a way to keep track of it in the future.

All this could be depressing.

Thank goodness for the Thrifty Grandmothers.

These dedicated women just keep plugging away. They continue to fund community needs with their donations.

The Grandmothers Club is not a checkbook organization, where members simply write checks for selected purposes.

These women work for it.

First, they accept donations at their shop. They cull, organize and clean them. Then, they put the items on sale for ridiculously low prices. A quarter is still big money at the shop. Often, before store openings, the waiting line in front of the shop is the only sign of life on Main Street. The club then donates the money it makes to projects that it deems worthy.

The income from the store does not come easily. They must stock and maintain the store. They must staff it. They need to cover their expenses. Most difficult is keeping up with the donations. Many area residents use the drop-off point behind the store as a dump for junk and trash. This insensitivity to the women and their purpose makes for more work and more expense. The club has to work through the debris and pay to get it to the landfill.

The commitment of the women in the club is stellar. They know what they want to do, and they quietly do it. They provide donated items at low prices, helping those on tight budgets, and they take their proceeds and turn them back to the community.

The Thifty Grandmothers contribute a much needed bright spot as well.