Nov 21, 2008

Gift shop has many surprisesBy Gay StormsGrahamLeader.com

The new gift shop in the Women’s Center at Graham Regional Medical Center is no ordinary store.

This GRMC Auxiliary Gift Shop is manned entirely by volunteers from buyers to salespeople. And many of the caring volunteers have a vested interest in the needs of new mothers or cancer patients, the two main focuses of the gift shop.

Kandy Maberry, the gift shop chairman, has seen what patients and their families go through. Her sister fought breast cancer at the age of 25, and her father died of colon cancer. One of her goals as shop buyer is for women with cancer to have resources available here so that they don’t have to travel to Wichita Falls or Fort Worth. But the gift shop is not limited to cancer support items.

“We accommodate and focus on women’s needs — a new mother, a newborn gift or a cancer-related product,” said Maberry.

The new shop gears itself to the needs of women at different stages of their lives. Pregnant moms and moms who have given birth will find the latest products. Unfortunately, the shop is still a hidden treasure because of where it’s located — on the far west side entrance of the Women’s Center. Unlike the lobby gift shop, visitors may miss it unless they are going to the Women’s Center.

“Most people still don’t know we’re here, The customers we do have are happy with what they find. Grandparents and older siblings are glad that they can buy lots here,” said Janice Glazner, a regular volunteer. Glazner said new mother’s have some cute comments when they come in to shop.

One new mother said, “I want to buy some baby socks, My mom and husband bought everything else for the baby yesterday.”

“We started with the basics and tried to find things that a new mother or person buying gifts would want,” said Maberry. “I looked for everything from inexpensive diaper bags to silver-plated baby albums.

“I looked for grooming, bathing and practical items for baby such as clippers. I tried to keep within a affordable range so anyone could shop.”

Although the inventory is not geared to volume but practicality, Maberry carefully chooses items from Dallas markets, the Internet and other places and often finds the latest products on the market. For instance, she plans to order a unique Hershey candy birth announcement as an alternative to traditional cigars. She’s also stocked a line of Motherlove Herbal Co. skin products geared to keeping the new mother pampered and pretty. There are little care kits for new babies also.

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