Service Guild Celebrates Annual Fall Mini Fest

 The Service Guild of Ohio Valley Goodwill held their annual Fall Mini Fest on Friday, October 3rdand Saturday, October 4th at the corporate headquarters in Woodlawn. The annual festival is presented by volunteer members of the Service Guild and offers many special activities for visitors and staff alike. In addition to the always popular homemade baked goods and candy, the group offers special gifts and wonderful items from the Treasure Island Gift Shop, Elegant Junque and collectibles, books tapes and CD’s and the always anticipated grill out featuring hot dogs, chips and drinks during lunch both days. This fall, the festival even featured three gift baskets that were raffled off during the two-day special event. The festival is one of the Service Guild’s largest fundraising activities during the year and helps to support Goodwill’s mission of putting people to work! For several years, many church groups have been involved in supporting Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries through monetary donations and direct services. The group was established in1933 and last year, the organization celebrated its 80th year of service to Ohio Valley Goodwill.

The Service Guild and its volunteers have long been involved in the day-to-day operation of the group’s Treasure Island Gift Shop inside the Tri-County retail store and provides much of the income that the group generates to assist Ohio Valley Goodwill. Service Guild members order and stock the wonderful gifts and other products that they offer for sale in the gift shop. All of the items are brand new and many shoppers have come to know the Treasure Island Gift Shop for the elegant jewelry, purses, and gift items that make lovely additions to the clothing items that they purchase from the Goodwill store. The gift shop is fully staffed by Service Guild volunteers on a daily basis. In addition to the gift shop, the Service Guild offers several bus trips and other special events that help to generate income and their ability to make a substantial gift to Ohio Valley Goodwill each year. The organization also helps to promote the mission of Ohio Valley Goodwill, assists in outreach to the community on behalf of Goodwill, and offers many special events including luncheons that benefit the individuals served by Goodwill Industries. Each year, the Service Guild members help with Goodwill’s annual golf outing, support the Veterans Day luncheon, offer a cash gift to consumers during the holiday season, and coordinate a Mini Fest both in the spring and fall of the year. The group also helps to support other activities that Ohio Valley Goodwill has participated in including the sponsorship of runners in the annual ” Flying Pig” marathon and other activities that consumers and staff have been involved in on the part of the organization.

The Service Guild has indeed been an ambassador for Ohio Valley Goodwill and has helped the Greater Cincinnati community to become more aware of the organization’s mission to help put people to work. We thank the Service Guild for all that they do to assist Ohio Valley Goodwill and for the programs that they offer in support of the organization and the people that Goodwill serves!