General manager of the St. George Catholic Thrift Store receives national recognition

Rose Thomas

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Steve Cross, general manager of the Catholic Thrift Store at St. George Catholic Church, receives a certificate and medal from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Courtesy photo/Rose Thomas

By Rose Thomas

Special to the Intermountain Catholic

SAINT GEORGE — The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) presented Steve Cross, general manager of the Catholic Thrift Store (CTS) at St. George Catholic Church, with a certificate and medal at the 6th Annual CTS Volunteers Appreciation luncheon at Staheli's Barn. The award was given for the outstanding service that the thrift store provides to the Washington County community.

NSDAR is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women's service organization founded in 1890 and incorporated in 1896 by an act of Congress. The NSDAR Community Service award must be approved on a national level before being awarded locally.

"The recipient is expected to have contributed to the community in an outstanding voluntary heroic, civic or benevolent manner, or participated in organized community activities," said Alta Thorpe, chapter regent.

Cross and the thrift store were presented with the award for the many services performed for the community through the Dove Center, Care and Share, Hope for Child Brides, Deseret Industries, Hopi/Navajo Indian Reservations, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, the Quilting Group of the New Promise Lutheran Church and Marines of Iraq. It was founded by eight women on Saint Patrick's Day in 1981.

"CTS serves in excess of 200 cases of charity for the destitute in an average year," Cross said. "These can range from giving a pair of shoes to a transient person to providing a household of furniture to the Dove Center."

During the luncheon, the store's management team also paid tribute to Cross for his 20 years of volunteer work. He has served in many capacities before his present position as general manager. Through his leadership, the thrift store has tripled in income over the past six years. The financial support CTS provides to the Catholic Church is only a part of what motivates him.

Closest to Cross' heart are the "charity runs," a term coined by the volunteers.

"When a call comes in requesting items needed for a family, Steve will often personally go help unload the truck and will come back with descriptions of the family. His responses are those particularly from the small children, who sometimes were sleeping on the floor and no longer have to," said Pat Rogers, head of the store managers.

Cross, however, is quick to give praise to the many volunteers whom he acknowledges as "very important links in the chain without which the store and the many services it provides, would not exist."

CTS has more than 160 volunteers, both Catholics and non-Catholics. "No one has been paid in all of the 31 years," said Cross as he thanked the luncheon's honorable guests of volunteers. "Throughout the history of the store we have attracted people who want to give of themselves. They have all left a legacy of love."

When asked how a volunteer liked working at CTS, Becky Sheffer said, "It's like the television show ‘Cheers;' we have a lot of fun!"

The Catholic Thrift Store is located at 157 North 200 West, Saint George. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. The phone number is 435-673-1029.