Care Center outing brings excitement, opportunity for all

The Lady Bug Thrift Shop became the social hub of the town as residents of the New Richland Care Center made an outing of it on Monday, July 27, taking advantage of their 50% off sale.

 

Paulette Krampitz, Lady Bug Thrift Shop owner, and Angie Swehla, New Richland Care Center activities director, arranged to entertain Care Center residents with a day out at the local consignment shop on the typically sunny and humid July day.

 

The first group of four individuals, who arrived shortly after 10 a.m., walked or rode their wheelchairs all the way from the Care Center. They had time to shop and sample the snacks that Krampitz had set out for them before setting back out for the Care Center shortly after 11 a.m.

 

Janet Hunt, on-call bus driver for the New Richland Care Center, brought three residents at a time to the outing in the afternoon.

 

“We can only fit three wheelchairs on the bus,” said Swehla, explaining the need for multiple trips. Swehla wishes the Care Center had two buses for such trips.

 

The second group came at 1:15 p.m.

 

Karen Wiese, who came especially to look for jewelry, said she was really excited about the shopping trip. Annette Strenge knew about Wiese's interests ahead of time. She made sure all of the jewelry was at a wheelchair accessible level.

 

Tony Unverzagt, a former machinist at Owatonna Tool Co., SPX, and Power Team, said Swehla asked him if he wanted to go to the Lady Bug. “I got plenty of clothes,” he replied, to which Swehla reportedly said, “They have tools.”

 

“Sign me up!” said Unverzagt.

 

“When other people are buying cigarettes and booze, I'm buying tools,” Unverzagt explained.

 

“I gave it all to the Care Center where I'm staying now, because they didn't have much before I gave them my stuff,” Unverzagt said of his former tool collection. Now, he's on a mission to refill his own stock. Judging by his finds at the checkout counter, it was worth the trip.

 

Michelle Ingram drove down from Waseca to shop with her mother, Elnora Ingram, who is temporarily rehabilitating at the Care Center. The two clearly enjoyed the experience, shopping for purses, clothes, and baby items for a friend, whose baby is due in August.

 

A number of other Care Center residents arrived later in the afternoon while the first afternoon group was still shopping.

 

Visitors from the Care Center were impressed with the variety and volume of inventory that the Lady Bug offers. Strenge said though that the shop doesn't have nearly as much inventory now as it did at the season opener back in March. She hopes the Care Center residents can visit again after the shop has new inventory; this is an event Strenge, Krampitz, and Swehla hope can recur regularly. Their goal is not only to give New Richland Care Center residents a day out, but to make them feel special.