Sunriver Scene September 2026 - Flipbook - Page 14
Second Tern: When giving back gives back
By Lily Pifferini-Carter, Second Tern Store Manager and
Volunteer Coordinator
Every week at the Second
Tern Thrift Store, you'll find
volunteers working hard to
support the store’s operations
and helping to raise funds
for Sunriver Nature Center
& Observatory. Those few
hours each week might seem
small, but they make a remarkable difference, both for
our community and for the
volunteers themselves.
Over the past few decades,
our country has seen drastic
changes in civic engagement.
Participating in local, state and
national politics, volunteering, advocacy, and activism
strengthen our democracy and
allows us a chance to tackle
difficult problems. However,
people’s ability to support
their community by donating their time can be limited.
Despite limited historical data
about volunteerism, the United
States Census Bureau reports
that fewer people than ever are
volunteering at about 28.3%.
The reality is that there are
many economic, social and
logistical barriers affecting
people’s ability to volunteer.
However, it is important to
feel like you can make a differ-
ence through small, individual
actions that culminates to create a positive influence for the
causes we care about. Research
suggests that volunteering can
actually be more helpful to the
volunteer themselves rather
than the individuals or causes
they are supporting.
According to the CDC, we
live in a time where 1 in 3
adults in the United States report feeling lonely. Loneliness
and social isolation are a health
epidemic that can significantly
increase a person’s risk for heart
disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and premature
death. We are less connected
to one another than ever but
finding a community to lean on
can be the cure. Volunteering is
one way to build connections
with others that can enrich and
extend your life.
Volunteer managers know
that volunteers not only want
to do good mission-aligned
work, but if they have a meaningful, or even transformative
experience, they are likely to
come back.
That is exactly the kind of
environment we aim to cultivate with our volunteers at the
Second Tern Thrift Store. The
opportunity to give their time
gives our volunteers a shared
purpose far above simply completing their volunteer tasks.
We asked volunteers why
they volunteer at the Tern. The
volunteers answered without
hesitation in a way that mirrors
our human urge toward connection. Volunteers expressed
that they are proud to volunteer
at the Tern to raise critical funds
for Sunriver Nature Center
& Observatory. But they also
went further to say that we’re
a family, they love to support a
good cause, help conserve the
environment, they get excited
to meet new people in the
community, a chance use their
professional skills, an opportunity to just get out of the house,
it teaches them patience, helps
them support each other, and
they love having some plain
old fun.
In addition to alleviating
the risk factors associated with
loneliness, finding community
and a collective purpose, volunteers at the Second Tern receive various additional perks.
Volunteers receive a discount
on store purchases (with a few
parameters). They also receive
a complimentary Family Membership to Sunriver Nature
Center & Observatory. A recent upgrade to the volunteer
experience was implement-
Secont Tern volunteers.
ed this summer: an outdoor
lounge area featuring a gazebo
structure, patio furniture, and
planter boxes, a project made
possible thanks to a generous
donation from Camp Abbot
ACE Hardware. It has proven
to be transformative to the
volunteer experience, allowing
for a better space to bond and
re-energize themselves during
their volunteer shifts. ACE’s
gift could not have been given
to a group of more grateful
volunteers.
Volunteer roles at the Second
Tern are generally designated
by the store’s departments, of
which the following are currently welcoming more volunteers: donation receiving, tools/
hardware, clothing, kitchen/
décor, and electronics. So yes,
this is absolutely a recruitment
pitch! But it's also an invitation.
If you've ever thought about
volunteering, even for just a few
hours each month, we'd love
to meet you. Whether you're
passionate about sustainability
or simply want to become part
of a welcoming team, there's
a place for you at the Second
Tern.
The Second Tern Thrift
Store is located at 17377
Spring River Road. Fill out a
volunteer application at snco.
org/volunteer. Shop or donate
during our opening hours on
Friday and Saturday from 10
a.m. to 3 p.m. with donations
accepted until 2 p.m.
Thank You
partners, local
businesses,
volunteers, artists
and community
members for
making this year’s
art fair a success!
Your support helps
improve the lives
of people in south
Deschutes County.
sunriverartfair.org@sunriverartfair#sunriverartfair
Page 14
SEPTEMBER 2026 SUNRIVER SCENE
IN-KIND DONATIONS
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