Christmas crisis

By Shaun Inguanzo
CHRISTMAS will be over before it begins for some cash-strapped Noble Park residents unless the op-shop receives more donations.
The Eastern Regions Mental Health Association (ERMHA) op-shop in Buckley Street is urging Greater Dandenong residents to donate their unwanted items before Christmas to ensure residents who rely on its low prices can afford to buy presents this year.
The shop’s manager, Betty Karslake, says the shop needs a range of items including toys, furniture, casserole dishes, chinaware, toddler clothes and summer dresses.
Ms Karslake said recent works to the shop’s interior meant the op-shop had missed out on a series of deliveries when it did not have enough room to store items.
“This is the only place in Noble Park where people can get books, chinaware and other items,” she said.
“A lot of residents don’t have cars, and we do have a lot of migrants who rely on us for clothes and cheaper items. We need to have quite a lot of stuff to keep us going.”
Ms Karslake said the op-shop desperately needed more toys for the Christmas season. The shop has only one box of toys, and fewer than 10 stuffed toys.
“For the little kids we are looking for toys, including trucks,” she said.
Ms Karslake said the money raised at the op-shop went to the ERMHA mental illness support service, based in Dandenong and servicing the cities of Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia.
In its latest annual report, ERMHA said its op-shop experienced strong sales during the 2005-06 financial year, recording gross sales of just over $60,000.
The strong growth exceeded the previous financial year’s effort of $52,964, and earned ERMHA $24,972 for its mental health services, which rely on the funds.