I go to college in the most boring town in the United States. Because it's a city, I can't go out to any fields to goof around. Everything closes between 8pm and 10pm, and nearly every place I could find that's worth my money has too much of a corporate atmosphere to make it an enjoyable area to just hang out with people at.

The one exception to this rule is the multiple thrift stores that inhabit the down town area. At first I was a fan of Goodwill. They always had a decent selection at nominal prices. I'd visited Volunteers of America once a while back and perused their record collection. It was filled to the brim with classical and Christian music. Now, being a Christian myself, I don't immediately discount Christian music as bad, but when the best thing in your selection is Dino, you have a serious problem.

I recently re-visited Volunteers (VOA) and found that it had turned into a thrifter's paradise. I found a constantly better selection of records than I had found almost anyplace else, including stuff from Paul Simon, Heart, and Michael Jackson. They also always have a large amount of various gadgets and whodads that you can poke, prod, and wonder about. But not in that, I'm a sick pervert kind of way; I know what you're thinking.

My recent best finds are a complete MouseTrap game, the original GhostBusters soundtrack on audio cassette, and a really cute girl who happens to work there.

VOA also does things like Senior citizen help programs, food drives, and cheap used car sales. A fairly good amount of their profit goes to community support programs.

Vol`un*teers" of America.

A religious and philanthropic organization, similar to the Salvation Army, founded (1896) by Commander and Mrs. Ballington Booth.

 

© Webster 1913

Log in or register to write something here or to contact authors.