Dakin Humane Society to Present Thrift Store Sale on Dec. 7-8

SPRINGFIELD — Dakin Humane Society will present a $5 Fill-a-Bag Sale on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 7-8, from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at its Springfield location. Dakin visitors will be able to purchase a shopping bag for $5 and fill it with specially marked items from Dakin’s Diamonds in the Ruff Thrift Shoppe during those two days.

Items eligible for the sale will be on display only in the education room, a large room adjacent to the thrift store. They are expected to include books, mugs, puzzles, select pet objects, stuffed animals, knick-knacks, children’s toys, and some holiday-themed items.

According to Executive Director Carmine DiCenso, “the Diamonds in the Ruff Thrift Shoppe is an important part of Dakin. Since its beginning in 2009, the year that Dakin moved into Springfield, the store has yielded more than $330,000 to help animals in our care. It operates on a cycle of giving; people donate new or gently used items, we set a discounted price for them, and shoppers find great bargains for pet-related things or gifts for people.” 

The Diamonds in the Ruff Thrift Shoppe was founded by Dakin volunteers Karen and Pearl Patino, a mother/daughter team. In the nine years of the store’s operation, the pair have donated their time and services. The two share a concern for animals, and, as Karen Patino stated, “every dollar we bring in is another dollar we have for them.”