Betty Jane Teders may have retired as director of the Upper Room Thrift Shop at the end of December, but she’s still a regular volunteer.

After she retired from 36 years of teaching, she spent the next 35 years volunteering at the thrift store, a job she said she thoroughly enjoys as she “loves to help those in need.

“I want to thank those of you who so generously donated items to the store,” she said. “Your generosity made it possible for us to donate about $3,000 last year to the following Kingfisher organizations – Meals on Wheels, Wheatheart Nutrition Center, Memory Lane, Chisholm Trail Museum, Kingfisher Winter Nights, Ambucs, the police department and Kingfisher firefighters.”

Teders said the thrift store also spent between $5,000 and $6,000 on food vouchers last year, allowing many residents to provide Christmas dinners to their famillies who could not otherwise do so.

Teders said she plans to continue to volunteer at the store as long as she is able, even though she has turned over responsibilities as director to Wilma Vaughn.

“Please come in and see her and show her the same kindness and respect that you have shown me all these years,” she said.