Yes, it’s April Fools’ Day, and I have to admit I’ve played my fair share of pranks throughout the years, but what I’m about to reveal to you is honestly not a joke. No, I’m serious, what I stumbled across in my newsfeed this morning not only brought a smile to my face, it actually reinforces the fact that savvy shoppers can find some serious treasures when browsing the aisles of their local Goodwill store. Check this out!
Shopper Finds A Rare Lithograph Print At Her Local Goodwill
I’ve mentioned before, several times in fact, the amazing deals just waiting to be discovered at your local Horizon Goodwill. Remember that story about the Vince Lombardi sweater that was purchased for mere pennies that was valued at over $20,000? How about the fella that purchased a $6.00 watch at an Arizona Goodwill only to discover it was worth $35,000? We’ve even had our share of pretty amazing items found at our local Horizon Goodwill locations, like that Tiffany silver plate, Victorian chair and a stylish tennis bracelet. I considered all of those as a Valentine’s Day gift for my wife, and wish I would have chosen just one of them as she really didn’t like what I did purchase, but that’s another story…Anyway, well, it seems there’s another treasure to add to the list!
According to a recent news article, a Florida woman was actually at the checkout of her local Goodwill when a lithograph print of a dog, just hanging on the wall, grabbed her eye. She added that to her shopping cart as well, paying the clerk $44.00 only to discover at home it was valued at nearly $3,300! Pretty sweet!
But want to know what’s even sweeter? The money spent on that lithograph, the measly $44.00, do you have any idea how much good that actually does for the community? Let me break it down for you.
- 90% of the proceeds from the sale of your donated items go towards funding Goodwill’s job training program.
- So what’s 90% of $44.00? I was told as a writer there would be no math, but I think I can handle this one….let’s see….carry the 2…move the decimal…ah, yes, the answer is $40.00, just a smidge over. (That’s a mathematical term, isnt’ it?)
- Ok, so what happens to that $40? It all goes towards funding to help those with barriers to employment, your fellow community members, neighbors and friends, learn the valuable skills they need to find gainful employment.
- And it’s not just about purchasing items from Horizon Goodwill, your donations are just as important! If you check out donate.goodwill.org, you can see the positive impact donating your gently used clothing, household items and electronics have on job training resources. For example, I’m all about reading, but I’ve been told by my lovely wife that I need to clean up home office. She’s right, I have books, magazines and dvd’s all over the place! I throw them all into a box, take them to my local Horizon Goodwill and I know I’ve personally just funded over two hours of job training to those who are looking to make a better life for themselves and their families!
Do I get envious when I read these articles or see a news report regarding some lucky Goodwill shopper purchasing an item for dirt cheap, only to learn it’s worth a gazillion dollars? Honestly, I don’t. It actually brings a smile to my face, because I know the real winner at the outcome of these transactions are everyday people like you and me; community members who are able to gain valuable training in order to find real jobs. Call me an idealist, but at the end of the day, isn’t it better to learn the skills required to earn an honest wage than to “win big” with a purchase? But, I will admit, if I ever stumbled across a signed Mickey Mantle baseball at my Horizon Goodwill, I will check out the price on the tag!