Store benefits cancer research

Marsha Protinsky was at a Smith Mountain Lake nail salon when she first caught word of an American Cancer Society Discovery Shop nearby.

Her interest sparked, she visited the shop in Moneta on the Franklin County side of the lake and “got hooked.” She now regularly volunteers there along with more than 150 others who donate their time and resources to the operation, one of only two such stores in Virginia that sell new and used merchandise to benefit cancer research.

“A lot of our volunteers end up here through word of mouth,” said Protinsky, a Franklin County resident and store co-manager. “The shop is very well known in the community. It’s known to be a pleasant place where volunteers believe in our mission of doing all we can to help find a cure for cancer.”

Since opening in 2004, the shop has earned more than $800,000 in proceeds, said Joanie Lauterstein, a Franklin County resident who also co-manages it as a volunteer. With no paid staff, she said its only expenses are rent, utilities and phone service.

Mark Hurley, an American Cancer Society staff partner, said the two stores are the only ones in the society’s South Atlantic Region, which includes seven states from Delaware to Georgia. He said the Moneta branch is the only one in the country that focuses mainly on home decorations and the only all-volunteer location.

“They take their commitment seriously,” Hurley said of community supporters. “It’s a remarkable group of people. This is one way for them to fight back.”

Virginia’s first Discovery Shop opened in the city of Roanoke on Franklin Road in 1995, joining 80 similar locations across the country. The two Virginia shops combined have raised more than $4 million.

The Moneta store accepts donations of furniture, art work, lamps, household items, books, jewelry and sporting goods. Lauterstein said there is a transportation committee available to pick up large donated items.

Local merchants and individuals regularly donate, she said, and volunteers travel to a furniture market in High Point, N.C., each year to receive donations.

In addition to generating funds, Protinsky said the shop provides support and resource materials for those affected by cancer. It hosts a breast cancer support group twice a month and is involved with a men’s prostate cancer support group at a nearby church.

Lauterstein said she has dealt with cancer through her husband and volunteering is “a good way to give back.”

“What makes it worthwhile is people do come in for support and you hear a lot of stories,” she said. “We get a lot of thanks from them saying how grateful they are.”

“It’s amazing how many of our volunteers are cancer survivors or who have dealt with it through family or friends,” Protinsky said. “We have so many people who bring skill sets that are so important to something like this and they are willing to share those for no pay.”

The shop is located at 400 Scruggs Road close to Virginia 122 in Moneta and is open Monday through Saturday.

To donate, call (540) 721-0050 or visit www.discoveryshops.va.com.