The Centerburg Branch of Interchurch Social Services (ISS) is set to host a celebration and open house at its newly acquired location on April 27. The event will take place at 56 Johnsville Road from 2-4 p.m., featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 2:00 p.m. and shopping until 4:00 p.m. Activities planned for the day include finger foods, a scavenger hunt, and raffles suitable for all ages, as announced by Carolyn Fergus, ISS Executive Director.
Rev. Mearle Griffith, ISS Board Chair, highlighted the importance of the new facility, stating that "the ISS Board of Directors has been seeking a larger facility to serve the greater Centerburg community." The new building will expand the Twice Treasured Thrift Shop and Pantry significantly.
Visitors are encouraged to bring donations for the food pantry, which will earn them extra raffle tickets. ISS has been operating in Knox County for over 55 years with four locations in Centerburg, Danville, Fredericktown, and Mount Vernon. These branches offer thrift stores and pantries to support needy clients.
The current staff at the Centerburg branch includes Sheryl O’Neil as Branch Manager and Michelle Waspe as Pantry Manager. More than 20 volunteers support their efforts. In 2024 alone, ISS provided services to 19,340 people across 7,948 families through its pantry services.
The history of the Centerburg branch dates back to when Gloria Parsisson identified an underused building owned by the local Jaycee organization at 40 North Clayton Street. With help from Rev. Bob Adams of Four Square Baptist Church and other volunteers from local congregations, initial services began with government commodity distribution.
An article from November 8, 1984, in the Centerburg Gazette marked the official opening of the branch with a headline reading "ISS Ready to Serve." Since then, additional services such as financial counseling and agency referrals have been offered alongside continuous operation of the Twice Treasured Thrift Shop.
Information from this article can be found here.
Interior of the newly renovated Thrift Store in Centerburg ISS
Pantry Room of Newly Renovated Centerburg Interchurch
