Volunteer shop with a big heart closes
The Primrose House of Values in Burlingame will be closing its doors Feb. 15, after a long run of 40 years.
The facility has been a work of the Catholic Social Service Auxiliary of San Mateo County, now Catholic Charities Auxiliary, since 1969. The auxiliary celebrated its 55th year in 2009. Money earned at the Primrose site has benefitted programs of Catholic Charities CYO of the Archdiocese of San Francisco.
“These volunteer efforts represent a lifetime of service that has enriched the lives of thousands of our brothers and sisters in San Mateo County,” said Catholic Charities CYO Executive Director, Jeff Bialik. “The San Mateo auxiliary has changed lives in the community.”
Bialik on his own behalf and on behalf of San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer, thanked the auxiliary members “for their service, impact and faith-filled support.”
Since their founding, the auxiliary has donated more than $750,000 to CCCYO as well as “hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours” from its “hundreds of members,” CCCYO said.
The San Mateo Auxiliary’s early fundraisers included activities such as the Christmas Boutique, luncheons and card parties. The auxiliary’s spiritual counselor and advisor, Father Edwin Baker, worked with the first president, Mrs. Joseph Spiler, to open Primrose House so that it could act as a project to raise funds for the programs on an ongoing basis.
“When I think about the shop I always remember a group of ambitious and dedicated ladies who were members of Catholic Social Services Auxiliary,” said Marina Messinger, a former auxiliary president. The Primrose store was pivotal to the auxiliary’s existence, Messinger said, noting the two will forever “go hand in hand.”
The auxiliary will continue to meet “to maintain the deep friendships they have developed” while running Primrose House according to CCCYO.
From February 5, 2010 issue of Catholic San Francisco.
