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New building supply store diverts items from landfill and supports Seasons House clientele

Rebuild Junction on Two Mile Flat is a new social enterprise from Quesnel Shelter & Support Society
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Shawn Severinski shows off the toybox he made for resale at Rebuild Junction. Melanie Law photo

Balloons festoon the sign at Rebuild Junction on Two Mile Flat, announcing its grand opening weekend.

Inside, there are piles of lumber, baskets of hardware items and some surprisingly attractive light fixtures on the shelves.

The secondhand building supply store, which is owned by the Quesnel Shelter &Support Society, launched on the weekend, stocking construction materials, tools and furniture. Its mission is two-pronged: to keep usable materials from the landfill, and to help members of the community who experience barriers to employment to develop employable skills.

Items in the store are donated by individuals or businesses, and project coordinator Kevin Therrien said they’ve had plenty of community members drop off items for resale.

He hopes the idea of recycling items, rather than taking them to the landfill, will serve a purpose in the community.

The project is funded by Prince George Nechako Aboriginal Employment and Training Association (PGNAETA) and the government of Canada. The Quesnel Shelter &Support Society received a grant for a 10-month pilot project, and hopes to apply for another year of funding. The use of the storefront has been donated by the building owner, so for now the project is rent-free.

Project facilitator Amy Quarry said they hope after its second year, Rebuild Junction will be a sustainable business which will help to financially support Seasons House – also run by Quesnel Shelter &Support Society.

The benefit to participants in the social program is already being realized.

“We’ve had four participants on a full-time basis and their basic skills have improved immensely. Their day-to-day lives are about their survival skills, but this takes them away from that… they can come here and focus on something else and not worrying about when they’re getting their next meal,” said Therrien.

Shawn Severinski, who said he’s been in and out of Seasons House, has been participating in Rebuild Junction’s program since it began. He says he helped get the store ready to open, and now spends his time re-purposing old furniture items into new creations. He’s just built a toybox from an old computer desk, and said he’s got lots of ideas for a pile of pallets in the back.

“The experience in this start-up Social Enterprise has given me hope – hope that led to reality. When I started working at Rebuild I had two or three friends, mostly due to my reputation and addictions; also because I removed toxic friends from my life for my recovery – 30 months and going strong!

“This program offers any person in good health and moderate function the ability to learn ways to express themselves through art and craftsmanship. Having the support, healthy relationships, sense of belonging and purpose Rebuild Junction offers is fundamental to helping individuals overcome barriers and lead more positive lives. It gives us a place to feel accepted, respected and somewhere to belong: a community. This is what Rebuild Junction and the team there mean to me.”

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Rebuild Junction project coordinator Kevin Therrien, participant Severinski and Quesnel Shelter & Support Society executive director Melanie McDonald. Contributed photo