Community Corner

Pat's Corner Gift Shop Sale, Artist Reception at Center Place (Dec. 8)

Pat's Corner at Center Place hosts its annual open house sale Dec. 8, the same night artist Diamari Christensen will be recognized for her "Journey" exhibit hanging in the Mook Gallery through December.

It’s open house at , at the Pat’s Corner gift shop, where all merchandise for a special sale will be discounted 25 percent to entice holiday shoppers.

The sale, from 4:30-8 p.m. Dec. 8, with refreshments, coincides with an artist’s reception for Diamai Christensen, whose "Journey" presentation of multimedia work will be on exhibit in Center Place’s Mook Gallery through the end of the year.

The reception, open to the public, is from 5:30-8 p.m.

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The gift shop, named posthumously for Patricia B. Odiorne, an early, and grand supporter, of Center Place, is run by a staff of volunteers, managed by volunteers overseen by co-chair volunteers Flora Temoin and Nancy Wimble.

“If you’re interested in volunteering, just stop by or call up,” Wimble said. “Volunteers get a 25 percent discount always, and it’s fun. You can do it alone or team up with others.”

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The gift shop aims to showcase work for sale by local artists and other unique gifts, including jewelry, purses, ornaments, stationery and knick-knacks.

“We try to buy one-of-a-kind items to sell,” Wimble said. “Obviously, we can’t buy quantity because we’re too small.”

One of the best-selling items is the Pashmina shawl, Wimble said.

“It’s something that every woman could use,” she added. “The colors that they come in are very rich, they’re very pretty. You can wear them as a wrap or just for decoration.”

The aim over the holidays is to offer for sale items that are fresh and different, and this year is no different, with new items on display in time for the sale.

“If you’re looking for nice merchandise at a reasonable price, we’re the place to go,” Wimble said. “We’ll have some unique purses that we haven’t put out yet. We have some laptop covers, floral and with feathers. And lots of jewelry.”

Temoin and Wimble said they are always looking for volunteers interested in helping to run and staff the gift shop.

“We have a close-knit family of volunteers,” Temoin said in an interview at the Dec. 5 appreciation luncheon for Center Place volunteers. “Throughout the year we try to have coffees to unite us because we’re all here for Center Place. We believe by knowing each other it gives Center Place that warmth that we have.”

For information, call: 813-685-8888.


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