The Toy Department at the Free General Store has been very fortunate to be staffed by several enthusiastic volunteers who have been with us from the very beginning.
Each one brings a wide range of skills and their own distinct flair to the task. One of those dedicated volunteers, Gil Shepard, passed away this January.
Gil’s extensive life skills contributed to the development of the department. He helped form and support the quality of our work both with ideas and a very hands approach. Basically Gil was our awesome “fix-it man”.
If a wonderful toy arrived that looked like it really had been thoroughly played out (yet all of us wanted it to be new again), Gil would take it home and work his magic. Maybe a month later he would bring that toy back, and Wow! we all would think, is this really the same toy?
All the wear and dull finish was gone. It was new again, yet with a very special ingredient - love!
Yes, he will be missed by us and all who loved him. But all those beautiful toys he made new again are still being played with right now by children all over our county. Gil’s love and attention is alive each day a child delights in their toy made new by Gil Shepard. – Mary Silver