Marksville thrift store helps many in need

Sometimes an inner desire to help others is so strong that a personal need to rest has to take a back seat.

That was the case with Donna Dauzat of Fifth Ward -- a former home health CNA who also ran a church’s clothes ministry, briefly “retired” from both and then opened the Marksville Ministry Outreach thrift store in the old library building on Washington Street.

“I have a passion for people, and there are so many people in need here,” Dauzat said.

The store is open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursdays. It’s merchandise consists of donated items, all workers are volunteers and operating expenses are paid with donations.

It is a certified non-profit organization and is not affiliated with any particular church.

Dauzat said she ran Refuge Baptist Church’s clothes program from 2005 to 2014. When she left that program in Echo, she had intentions of doing something else.

That lasted about six months before she felt the need to look at opening a thrift store ministry to help those in financial need, recovering from a house fire or other tragedy.

“I looked at several buildings but couldn’t find the right one,” she said. “I had volunteers calling me and asking if I had found a building yet.”

Then she contacted Brent Scallan in Marksville, who owns several commercial buildings in the area.

“I went to see one of his buildings, but it had a lot of little offices and did not have the open space I would need for this kind of operation,” Dauzat said. “When I turned in the key, I just asked if he had anything else.

“THIS IS IT”

“They said the old library was available,” she continued. “I took the key and went to see it. It was like I was feeling the presence of the Lord when I entered the building. I said, ‘This is it.’”
It took about five months to turn the former library into a thrift Store and about four days to move everything in once it was ready.

The store opened Jan. 28, so it is approaching its first anniversary.

In addition to selling used clothes, household items, knick-knacks, toys, etc., Dauzat sponsors the “Adopt-a-Senior” food program at the site. The program by the Food Bank of Alexandria provides a 50-pound box of food to 114 disabled individuals who are 65 or older.

“A person can adopt a senior citizen in the program for $150 a year,” Dauzat said. “It makes such a difference in their lives and they are so grateful for the assistance.”

MORE THAN A STORE

Once Dauzat takes time to list the agencies she interacts with in her “outreach mission,” it becomes clear that this effort is more than just a thrift store.

“The homeless come here for help,” she said. “We have also helped inmates who don’t have shoes or have other clothing needs. We offer help to area nursing homes and we work with the VA Hospital in Pineville.

“We hold a ‘Back to School Bash’ in the summer to provide school supplies and clothes to children,” Dauzat continued. “One Dec. 16, we will be conducting a Christmas toy program for children who have registered with us. We also give toys to the Marksville American Legion for their program for autistic children, which will be Dec. 14.”

Ministry Outreach also works with Hope Center to provide toiletries and clothing to those in that substance abuse rehabilitation program.

“We help fire victims who have lost everything,” she continued. “And we give to the programs for the homeless shelter in Alexandria.”

The 12 volunteers have no set schedule, but are faithful in coming in to sort and prepare clothes and other donations, man the cash register and help customers with their selections.

“I love people, just helping and seeing where needs can be met,” Dauzat said. “God is in this so much. People are so generous in donating their items to make this possible.”

Dauzat does not look at the thrift store as a business.

“Money is not the primary reason for this,” she said. “It isn’t even the secondary reason. We are not here to compete with anybody.”

Almost every item donated finds its way onto the sales floor.

“Nothing goes to waste,” she said. “Even stained T-shirts are bought by painters or farmers who tell me if they didn’t have those shirts they would be wearing old rags instead.”

Dauzat was born in Cottonport, raised in Echo and now lives in Fifth Ward. She and her husband of 41 years, Nason Dauzat, have four children and eight great-grandchildren. Her parents were the late James and Lillian Franks of Echo.

“I’ve seen miracles in this work and have seen God’s hand in it,” Dauzat said. “I firmly believe that when God moves you on, He will open a door for you.

“When He gives you a gift -- like a passion for helping people in a ministry such as this -- you have to take the gift or God will give it to someone else,” she said. “It is a case of ‘use it or lose it.’”