The Capital Times, April 18, 2005
Thrift stores form alliance
By Dan Nephin
Associated Press Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Thrift
store outlets in southwestern
Pennsylvania have formed an
alliance to cut costs and boost
sales so more money goes to
their causes.
"In today's nonprofit world,
certainly more than anywhere
else, the press is on for
collaborations and partnerships
and reduction in duplication of
services," said Michael Smith,
president and chief executive
officer of Goodwill Industries of
Pittsburgh.
Bringing in more money on their
own means less reliance on other
funding sources and, in turn,
more flexibility in how that money
can be spent, he said.
Goodwill, with its 22 stores in
southwestern Pennsylvania
and West Virginia, makes up
the largest bloc of the Alliance
of Nonprofit Stores, which was
announced this week. The
Salvation Army has 10 stores,
while the rest are from St. Vincent
de Paul, Bethlehem Haven and
the National Council of Jewish
Women.
The group's motto is, "Shopping
never felt so good. Giving never
felt so right."
None of the 40 stores plans to
close. Instead, the alliance will
look for ways to save money by
buying in bulk and finding vendors
who will give them deals.
Fred Just, executive director
of the Society of St. Vincent de
Paul in Pittsburgh, came up with
the idea. He said foundations
and government are increasingly
putting more emphasis on
collaboration.
Christine Nyirjesy Bragale,
a spokeswoman for Goodwill
Industries International, said
while Goodwill partners with
other nonprofits at times, the
alliance is the first of its type that
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she's aware of
Besides bargains, the alliance
will spread the message about
thrift stores' charitable missions,
such as work force development
and community service.
It also will address how to donate
items. Trash and poor quality
donations pose a significant
problem to thrift stores.
"We're trying to better people's
lives and turn people's lives
around. We certainly wouldn't
want somebody to say, 'Here's
this ripped up, stained coat. It's
good enough for you because
you don't have one, - said Kelly
Pezze, manager of a consignment
store operated by Bethlehem
Haven, which serves homeless
women in Pittsburgh.
"If you wouldn't wear it or let
somebody in your family wear it,
throw it out," she said.
Just said today's shops are "not
your grandmother's thrift store."
Thrift stores are "one of the
best-kept name brand fashion
secrets," said Smith, noting that
shoppers aren't going to find
items like a Liz Claiborne blouse
for $4 elsewhere.
Thrift store shoppers "love the
hunt, they love the thrill of the
hunt and, bottom line, they love
the bargain. It's much more of a
treasure if you get a bargain," said
Adele Meyer, executive director
of the National Association of
Resale & Thrift Shops.
Thrift stores sometimes partner
to advertise, but the alliance goes
further, Meyer said.
While members are competitors,
Smith said the alliance is more
concerned about competition
from for-profit retailers such
as Wal-Mart, dollar stores and
bargain outlets like TJ Maxx.
Other competitors are for-profit
resale stores, some of which
also use donation boxes that
can't easily be differentiated from
those of charitable thrift stores,
Just said.
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Bronner studies Americans
Bronner cont'd from 1
which allows him easy access
to the Pennsylvania House of
Representatives and various state
institutions. The rich American
culture is the reason Bronner
does not take his intelligence to
University Park. "This is the place
to be. This is where the action
Bronner also stated that PSH
is the only campus that offers a
graduate program in American
Studies, and has the best
students.
American Folklore is Bronner's
passion. He finds the study
"engaging and fascinating."
Bronner described the field in
his own words: "It's continually
giving me surprises. I feel like I
have scourged the waterfront,
but I always discover a new ship
docked."
There are times when Bronner
is not running around collecting
Dr. Simon Bronner poses with a poster that describes his take on American culture. Bronner has taught
American Studies at PSH since 1981.
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folklore (though that is few and
far between). When he does get
some time to himself, he enjoys
writing, reading, book collecting,
watching movies, and playing
sports. Playing sports allowed
Bronner to add yet another
award to his name: his PSH
Intramural basketball team won
the championship against all
the other campuses; including
University Park. Bronner is quick
to point out, "that was 40 lbs. ago,
[l] had hair, and could jump."
Bronner also spends time with
his family, which consists of his
wife of 7 years and two beautiful
children; Shulamit (5) and Eitan
(4). Bronner describes his two
children as "being research
subjects," since he spends a
lot of time studying childrens'
folklore and he's close to a much
needed source. And as for the
uniqueness of their names?
"They're ethnic names. Shulamit
comes from Song of Solomon
and Eitan means strength."
State
of possible
tuition
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP)
Students at Pennsylvania's 14
state-owned universities could
face tuition increases of as much
as 10 percent next year if the
system receives the amount of aid
Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed,
system officials said.
State System of Higher
Education administrators told
the system's board Thursday a
tuition increase of as much as
$465 a year was necessary to
make up the difference between
the system's $464 million state
aid request and the $443 million
subsidy Rendell advocates.
Under that scenario, annual
tuition for Pennsylvania
undergraduate students would
rise from $4,810 to $5,275. The
board traditionally sets tuition
rates in July.
But a top Rendell aide said that
kind of increase was unlikely to
happen.
"The governor continues to
be adamant that before tuition
is increased we need to look at
wherever we can to cut costs,"
said David Myers, Rendell's
deputy chief of staff. "The state
system is the point of access
for a lot of people who wouldn't
otherwise be able to go to college
so they've got to keep tuition down
and keep tuition affordable."
Even if the system's entire
request were approved, the
system proposes to boost tuition
by 6 percent in its $1.2 billion
operating budget for 2005-06.
Board Chairman Charles
Gomulka said the tuition
Though his focus is American
Studies, Bronner certainly has
plenty of experience in the world
of Communications as well. He
had his own radio show called
"Boogie Woogie 1970." where he
played folk, country, and old-time
music. More to The Capital Times'
own heart, he also was a writer
for the college paper, reporting
on arts and entertainment.
Bronner feels the paper is a great
discipline because it "forces
themes and deadlines."
Bronner sits on many committees
and works on many publications.
He is the chair of Committee
of American Studies PrOgram,
the editor for the Pennsylvania
German Society Material World,
and sits on at least a dozen more
editorial boards for journals and
encyclopedias. One would think
that with all that he has done and
is doing, he would be looking
forward to retirement and resting,
but Bronner disagrees. "That's
not me. My passion is this work."
Photo courtesy of Dr. Simon Bronner
system warns
10 percent
increase
projections were presented
earlier than usual so legislators
and Rendell would understand
the impact the governor's budget
would have on students and their
families.
"These are the facts," he said.
"We can't continually be put
in a position where we can
miraculously find ways to cut
costs."
Last year, the state system
planned to raise tuition and
a technology fee by a total of
$417, but later agreed to a $212
increase after Rendell intervened
and insisted on budget cuts and
a salary freeze.
The administration would not
rule out a tuition increase for next
year, "but we want to make sure
no stone is unturned before we
get there," Myers said.
The state-owned universities are
Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney,
Clarion, East Stroudsburg,
Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock
Haven, Mansfield, Millersville,
Shippensburg, Slippery Rock,
and West Chester.
Rendell's budget also calls for
giving less state aid to Penn State
University than it requested, but
Penn State officials have not
revised their tuition projections
since they made their request last
fall, spokesman Bill Mahon said.
Penn State originally envisioned
a tuition increase of about 6
percent, based on a state aid
request of $334.8 million; Rendell
has proposed $324.2 million.
Hurst
speaks at
Boobies cont'd from 1
Because breast cancer is the
second deadliest killer of women
in the U.S., Hurst said it is
important that women under 40
make themselves aware of the
"Whether you do it
the way your doctors
tell you or however
you want, it is
important for women
to feel their boobies
at a young age in
order to get familiar
with their bodies,
allowing them to
detect unfamiliar
lumps in their breast.'
- Leigh Hurst
dangers of breast cancer and the
importance of self-examinations
and medical checkups.
"If I can get people to say the
slogan 'feel your boobies' or
even come to a seminar, I feel my
program has made a success,"
she said.
About 25 attended the Monday
campus seminar and of that
number, four were men.
Robert Holland, a PSH junior,
said he attended the seminar
because, "I wanted to be
educated about the organization
and to just learn more about
cancer in general."
Although the seminars are
primarily intended for a female
audience, Hurst said men could
get breast cancer, though the
incident rate is low.
Kimberly Hill, a PSH health
education graduate student,
said she organized the seminar
because she, too, wanted to raise
public awareness. Hurst said the
seminars have been successful
and have spread largely by word
of-mouth.
In addition to the website,
Hurst has designed t-shirts,
hats, tank top and other items
can be purchased at www.
feelyourboobies.com.