Mary Louise Lansbarkis of Sun Lakes prepares to register guests at a “Jolly Jingle” event at the Valley Bloom Thrift Shop in Chandler. More than a dozen Sun Lakes residents are active members of the charity group.
Sarah Auffret
If you haven’t unboxed your holiday decorations yet, Valley Bloom Thrift Shop has the perfect event to get you into the spirit of the season. “Jolly Jingle,” a festive event to introduce the best gift ideas, decorations, holiday linens, and dishes will be Nov. 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the shop, 2326 N. Alma School Rd, Chandler.
There will be refreshments, a visit from Santa, special discounts, double stamps on shopper cards, and face painting for the young-at-heart.
Mary Louise Lansbarkis of Sun Lakes is one of the mainstays of the charity organization, at 97 years old one of the most active members. In addition to volunteering at the shop and overseeing the fabric and crafts department, she regularly sews hundreds of tiny fabric gift bags for the jewelry department.
“I enjoy our special events, and people always have a great time at Jolly Jingle,” said Lansbarkis. “I love decorating for the holidays, getting out my special Christmas stuff. This will be a fun time at the shop.”
Valley Bloom just celebrated 10 years in its current location. It has grown from a small number of women who distributed clothing to children out of the back of a van to an organization that clothed over 8,000 school children last year, supported homeless and foster teens, gave out scholarships and provided thousands of care kits to nonprofit agencies.
Their annual fundraising fashion show Runway for Hope is scheduled for April 3, 2027 at the Marriott Phoenix Chandler hotel.
The Valley Bloom Thrift Shop operates entirely on donations. Hours are Wednesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with donations accepted on those days and also on Mondays at 2326 N. Alma School, Chandler.