Thrift Shop News

Volunteer Awards 2025-2026

Volunteer of the Year

The Volunteer of the Year award recognizes an individual who has shown exceptional dedication and impact through their volunteer work.
We are pleased to introduce our 2025 Volunteer of the Year: Shelley de Ganna.  Shelley is an amazing Thrift Shop manager.
Under her leadership, sales have grown and continue to grow. You may not know that Shelley accepted the Thrift Shop manager position in the first year of her membership, so she had to learn about ALRSD and the Thrift Shop at the same time!
Shelley is positive, energetic and passionate.  Her positive energy encourages members to want to work at the Shop.  She works well with everyone, including all temperaments and levels of flexibility.  And she is an idea generator, which has led to new ideas for more sales.  But she also welcomes others’ ideas, and she thanks each member for their contribution.
She also works hard to market the shop.  She spearheaded the effort to win the “Best of North County” competition in the Coast News, where we won Best Thrift/Consignment Shop and Antiques/Collectibles for two years running.
No one puts in more effort and hours.  She is on-call morning and night to troubleshoot Point of Sale and answer any other Shop questions members or others may have.
For these reasons, please join me in honoring Shelley as the 2025 Volunteer of the Year!

Ada Edwards Laughlin Award

The Ida Edwards Laughlin Award was presented to Lisa Zimnowodzki. The award is named for the co-founder of Assistance League who was less visible and filled the role of hardworking unsung assistant to Anne Banning.
Lisa joined AL 10 years ago. In the beginning, she enjoyed working on fundraising events (and still does), but she found the backroom donation processing to be her perfect spot. She has become the driving force behind the jewelry department’s success – collaborating with members to merchandise seasonal jewelry, encouraging off site sales, improving and expanding displays and taking time to meet with generous donors to learn about the items donated and maximize the return on their donations. She puts in countless hours, tagging and organizing each piece even when she is flat on her back for weeks or when traveling she leaves behind extra inventory, so our displays never look bare.
In the last fiscal year, jewelry sales accounted for over $51,000, making it the second highest revenue category in the shop. Be sure to congratulate Lisa and thank her when you are in the shop!

Ann Banning Leadership/Education Award

The Anne Banning Leadership Award is named after the founder of the Assistance League, Anne Banning. She promoted the growth of volunteering through leadership and education. This award demonstrates the importance and value of Leadership, while also honoring the accomplishments and dedication of the recipient.
Our 2025 recipient of the Anne Banning Leadership Award is Eunhwa Lenehan. She is consistently called upon to assist our members with their technical issues. Eunhwa is a true leader who aids all of us in our ability to function as a productive organization.
Eunhwa leads by providing a myriad of functions for our Chapter.  Here are just a few:
. Recording Volunteer hours
. Processing a new member
. Validating contact information
. Maintaining our website & Database
. Verifying donations
. Setting up an on-line payment

Eunhwa is truly our “tech guru”.

President’s Award

The President’s Award is a special recognition presented to a specific member by the President of the Chapter. It is presented to someone who has significantly aided and assisted the President throughout the year.
This year’s recipient is Debbie Beauchesne. Although there are many, many deserving members who make countless contributions; the impact that Debbie has made is at the core of our organization.   Debbie has been an extraordinary Philanthropic Chairman. Her dedication to our Programs has had a direct correlation to my taking and keeping the position of President. I can depend on Debbie anytime/anyplace to give me facts and supporting figures about our various philanthropies and their impact on the community. She has set several goals…and has met all of them.
Debbie and I shared a vision for ALRSD; “to expand and elevate our philanthropic programs”.  We often reflect on a moment while sitting next to each other at a Nominating Committee meeting back in February of 2023. I turned to Debbie and said, “I’ll take President, if you’ll take Philanthropic” and she answered with, “I’ll take Philanthropic, if you’ll take President.” I never regretted the deal we struck that February afternoon and have thoroughly enjoyed and respected her purposeful and effective work on our Philanthropic Programs.
Thank you, Debbie!  by Linda Kermott