The Winkler MCC Thrift Store experienced a 7% drop in sales during their last fiscal year, ending September 30th.

The store's total revenue for the 2018/2019 fiscal year was just over $852,000. From that, $525,000 was sent to MCC Manitoba, and $20,000 in local grants was given out.

Winkler MCC Community Assistance Board President Dave Penner says the past year's decline is understandable in light of the opening of the Adult and Teen Challenge Thrift Store this past May. Penner says the board is viewing having three thrift stores in the community optimistically.

"Jokingly I've said we're now the thrift store capital in Southern Manitoba. But having said that jokingly, seriously I think that's possibly true because I also cashier quite a bit here at MCC in Winkler, and I see how many people do the circuit of thrift stores, so now they can do three in Winkler."

Penner says they also know all three thrift stores in Winkler serve a great Christian mission.

In the last 6 years, just under $3 million has gone to support MCC projects around the world from the Winkler MCC Thrift Store alone.

At its annual meeting Monday, Penner wanted to highlight that fact as an encouragement to the members, volunteers, and the people in the community who support them in many ways. From 2014 to 2019, Penner says Winkler MCC was also able to pay down their mortgage by $238,000 and give $138,000 to local organizations.

"That's over three and a half million dollars, taking the big numbers. But being able to send almost three million to MCC (Manitoba), that's the exciting part... And then still being able to run a building of 25,000 square feet and paying all of the costs."

Penner notes a lot of MCC's continued success is due to their roughly 300 volunteers. Penner says some of them work a few times a year, and others are there nearly every day. "It's just amazing that these people come back. And it's such a great place, you can do mission work right at home. A lot of people would be bored if they didn't have this. It gives them a place to go, be productive, and just have fun."