The title of

the shop is The Clothes Less Traveled, but you will find much more than

gently used clothes in the store. Located on the corner of Huddleston

Road and Fulton Court in Peachtree City, the thrift store has almost anything

a person could want for their home. Of course, the items in the store

can change from day-to-day if you can't find what you are looking for

today, it may just come in the next.

Just as the

name of the store doesn't fully describe its contents, the term "thrift

store" doesn't fully describe the store itself. The Clothes Less

Traveled is a nonprofit organization. All proceeds from sales are donated

to Fayette County charitable organizations and the community.

Some of the

groups that have benefited from the proceeds more than $70,000 since the

store opened include the Joseph Sams School, Fayette Senior Services,

Camp Ivy and the Good Shepherd Humane Society. The nonprofit group also

awards scholarships to students who volunteer and are involved in the

community. The group donates items to those who may have gone through

the trauma of a fire or other similar tragedy. Local churches also send

their needy to the store for help on occasion.

The Clothes

Less Traveled is staffed entirely by community volunteers. Volunteers

are asked to serve at least one three-hour stint a month. Most try to

do more. The store is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

The three-hour shifts are from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Volunteers

are encouraged to work in pairs.

Volunteer Coordinator

Norma Weizenauer glows when she talks about the benefits of volunteering

at the thrift store. "The work we do is invaluable. It's not just

what we give away, it's the people we help," she said. "I love

interacting with people. You get back what you give."

Although the

thrift store is not affiliated with any denomination or church, it was

started by Mary Ann Cox, Director of Religious Education at Holy Trinity

Catholic Church, and some others in the church. "Folks were always

bringing things to the church thinking we could distribute the items to

those in need," said Cox. "That wasn't always possible."

Seeing the need, she came up with the idea of a community thrift store.

Her idea was

obviously a good one; the store is undergoing its third expansion since

opening in 1997. When they first opened, the store occupied two of the

storefronts in the building. The second expansion increased their presence

Road.

The group is

always willing to take slightly used clothing in good condition and working

household items. They are struggling with the problem of individuals leaving

items in the parking lot in the evening and after hours. In addition to

being unsightly, some of the items are not suitable for resale or donations.

The volunteers have asked that all items be delivered during store hours,

Monday-Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

For the habitual

shopper, The Clothes Less Traveled is an ideal place to shop without guilt

every purchase is a donation to someone less fortunate. It's also an ideal

place to deliver the furniture next time you redecorate, or to take the

clothes you've outgrown next time you clean out the closet to make room

for new purchases. For more information on the store, call 770-486-8517.