Blog

We had a great summer of 2023…but it went so fast!  The reason for that is we stayed busy offering plenty of activities to our patrons at The Red Door in Waverly, and our thrift shop in Owego was always hopping with our loyal customers browsing the treasures on our shelves!

The Red Door began a hugely successful Bingo event on Thursday mornings this summer, and we were always packed…because who doesn’t like Bingo?!  We paired with our neighbor Lisa’s Place restaurant for some of our prizes, and we also offered a prize table for winners that included a wide variety of unique gifts to choose from.  Bingo was so popular that we’ve extended it through the rest of the year!

The Red Door hosted Friday night game nights, where guests could try their hand at virtual pinball or spades.  We also offered movie nights, showing flicks like Mrs. Doubtfire, and Casper the Friendly Ghost!  And we had a pop up shop outside, where customers could take home clothing and shoes for next to nothing!  And of course, we continued with our popular Open Mic event, now held on Saturdays, where the community could gather for great music from local artists!

In partnership with the North Waverly Chapel, we had our annual Block Party in August, where contemporary Christian music filled the air, along with a visit from Balloon Man!

As the start of school inched closer, we held a Summer Sundae event, a delicious way to usher in the new academic year…and we gave away 20 free backpacks filled with supplies to kids in need.  

We also held our backpack program in Owego, where we gave away 45 of them to local students.  

We are grateful to The Tioga County Senior Citizens Foundation for its generous contribution to support our food pantries and services for struggling Tioga County seniors!

We are excitedly looking forward to our Children’s Christmas Parties that we throw each year!  The Waverly event is slated for December 9th from 10AM-2PM at the Waverly Village Hall.  It’s co-sponsored by the Waverly Police Benevolent Association.  Our Owego party is on December 15th at our Outreach Department.  It’s a drive-up event that runs from 2:30-4:30.  There is no sign up required for these events.

And in closing…if you’re planning a holiday party and need event space,  don’t forget Another Door Opens in Lockwood!  The former Lockwood Methodist Church offers both a community room with a full kitchen, and the former sanctuary space as well.  There is no fee to use the space, but we would gratefully accept your donation.  Call us at 607-687-1121 to reserve your space!

Have a happy Fall!
 

Summer is in the air!  Schools are wrapping up for the year and the temperatures are getting warmer!  And here at The Open Door Mission/The Red Door/Another Door Opens, summer will bring some changes to our organization that we can’t wait to fill you in on!

But before we do that, we don’t want to bury the lead, which is…

We’ve been selected by the Tioga County Chamber of Commerce as their Spotlight on Non-Profits for the month of May!  We are honored to receive this recognition for our efforts in serving residents in the Owego and Waverly areas.  Led by our Executive Director Shannon Hilliker, our dedicated staff will continue to offer outreach services to those in need in our area.

And now for those changes…

Over at The Red Door in Waverly, we will now be open on Friday nights until 10PM!  We are planning some special events during the summer, so stay tuned to hear more about them!

And we will now be picking up donations of furniture and large appliances the last Thursday of every month in the Valley!  If you are a resident of Waverly, Sayre, Athens, or South Waverly, just give us a call at 607-687-1121 to schedule your pickup.  Non-furniture donations can be dropped by the Red Door every Friday.

Also, don’t forget about our popular Open Mic event every Saturday at The Red Door from 11AM until 4PM.  Drop by and listen to some great music from talented local musicians, or bring your own instrument and join the fun!

Need a venue for your summer events?  Whether it be a family reunion, a wedding, showers, christenings, community events, meetings, you name it, we’ve got the place!  You can book Another Door Opens simply by calling 607-687-1121.  We do not charge a booking fee, but gratefully will accept your donation.  Another Door Opens, located in the former Lockwood Methodist Church, boasts a sanctuary area, a community room and kitchen, and outdoor space as well.  

Have a wonderful summer!

Happy New Year to everyone!  The holiday season has come and gone, and we hope everyone had a Merry Christmas! 

Every year, we throw two children’s Christmas parties…one in Owego and one in Waverly.  They were both a success!

The Waverly party was held on December 10^th at the Waverly village hall.  110 kids were in attendance, and they took home wrapped gifts, blankets, books, stuffed animals, and other necessities.  Hot chocolate and donuts were also on offer!  We wish to thank all those who supported this annual event, including the Waverly Police Benevolent Association, the Waverly Community Chest, Tioga County Toys For Tots, and the Floyd Hooker Foundation. 

The following Friday, December 16^th, was our drive up Christmas party at the Outreach Center in Owego.  128 children benefitted; we loaded their cars full of wrapped presents, blankets, books, and necessities, and we also homed many of our adorable stuffed animals!  Our heartfelt thanks goes out to the Floyd Hooker Foundation and Tioga County Toys For Tots once again for providing their support. 

As we roll into the new year, our staff stays busy as usual, processing donations and stocking our thrift stores in Owego and Waverly.  Our Outreach Department in Owego is open Monday through Wednesday, from 10AM-Noon, and from 1-4:30PM.  During these hours, Owego residents in need can use our food pantry, choose a free winter coat, or receive assistance with other needs. 

At our Another Door Opens location in the hamlet of Lockwood, there will be a Valentine’s Day luncheon on Tuesday, February 14^th from Noon-2.  Bring your sweetie, and a dish to share if you’d like!  There are also two church services on offer at this site.  Every 4^th Wednesday, Trace Timm leads a service beginning at 6:30.  Every Saturday night from 6-8, Paul Estro and the Halsey Valley Victory House praise team meets.  A meal is shared every first Saturday of the month beginning at 5:30. 

At the Red Door in Waverly, our Open Mic “Night” now takes place on Saturday afternoons.  Come join us for a cup of coffee and some great music while browsing our shop full of treasures!  The Red Door also offers meeting space both upstairs and down for recovery and organizational meetings. 

Come visit us at one of our three locations!  We are always in need of volunteers to help with our mission!  Our proceeds fund our programs that serve those recovering from addiction, as well as struggling families and veterans. 

Now that our newest location, Another Door Opens in Lockwood, has opened its doors, the site now offers plenty of activities to our patrons.  Here is a list of what’s currently going on!

--Every 4^th Wednesday at 6:30PM, Pastor Trace Timm offers a worship service which incorporates music, scripture, and witness. 

--Every 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday, there is a community luncheon from Noon-2PM.  Bring a dish to pass if you wish.  Come meet your neighbors and make some new friends, all while enjoying some delicious food!

--Every Saturday night, come join Paul Estro and the Halsey Valley Victory House praise team as they present “Worship and The Word” from 6-8PM.  On the first Saturday of the month, a meal will be offered before the service.  The meal will begin at 5PM.

Don’t forget that you can reserve Another Door Opens for your event.  There is no fee to rent the facility; but we respectfully ask for a donation in the amount of your choice.

At the Red Door in Waverly, we are now offering meeting space for recovery groups, veterans, and first responders!  Four rooms are available on our second floor, with kitchen facilities in one of them. The photo above gives you an idea of what one room looks like.   If you would like to reserve this space, please give the Red Door a call!

The Red Door is now offering Game Night every Friday night from 5:30-10.  Head on over with your friends, and bring your competitive side!  Delicious Finger Lakes Coffee is FREE all night long!

Our popular Open Mic Night, which previously was on Friday evenings,  has now been moved to Saturday afternoons from 2-4PM.  It’s a great opportunity to kick back, relax, and listen to some great music from talented local artists.

The Red Door no longer has donation bins at its location.  We will only take select items at that location, so check inside first, or better yet, give a call before heading over!

Here at the Open Door Mission, we are busily preparing to host our two annual Children’s Christmas parties in Owego and Waverly!

Our party in Waverly will take place on Saturday, December 10^th from 10AM- Noon, at the Waverly Village Hall. We partner with the Waverly Police Benevolent Association.

 Our Owego party will take place on Friday, December 16^th from 2:30-4:30PM at the Outreach area of the Open Door Mission. It will be a drive up event. 

We also partner with the Tioga County Toys For Tots organization, which helps us to provide enough gifts for the children we serve.   To sign up for free Toys For Tots gifts, please go online to register at owego-ny.toysfortots.org by November 15^th.  In the comments section, please indicate at what location you plan to pick up your Toys For Tots gifts.  If you don’t have access to a computer, contact the Mission at 607-687-1121, or stop on by, and we will sign you up. 

The program is for children ages 5-14.  If you would like to donate either a gift(s) or monetary donation to help make the party a success, we would appreciate it!  All gifts must be wrapped and labeled as to age and gender.

As always, the holiday season is a busy one at the Mission.  We are always looking for volunteers to help us in our Owego thrift store, setting out the many donated Christmas items that we have!  From lighted Christmas trees, Santas of every description, beautiful linens, ornaments of every kind, artificial greenery, holiday clothing…you name it, we’ve got it!  And it’s a race against time to get it all out on the racks and on the shelves.  If you are interested, give us a call or stop on by.  We’ll cheerfully put you to work!

And if you know someone who is struggling to make ends meet, especially as we approach the holidays, please have them contact our Outreach Department to see how we can assist them. 

Enjoy the rest of your 2022!

Sunday, July 10^th was a perfect day for our grand opening!  The weather was beautiful, the music from the contemporary Christian band Chronicles was uplifting, and the refreshments were yummy!  But the greatest thrill was all of the “WOW’s” we received from our guests about our renovations to the former Lockwood Methodist Church, now christened “Another Door Opens”. 

The Tioga County Open Door Mission purchased the former church back in 2018.  The sanctuary was built in the 1880’s, and the adjoining kitchen and community room a product of the 1950’s era.  Our facelift included a new floor in the community room, new gutters around the outside of the structure, and reinforcement of the steeple, which still houses its bell.  Fresh paint was applied inside and out, with a redecorated kitchen and bathroom. 

The new community room will offer meeting space for area groups, and can host community meals, family reunions, and other non-profit groups offering their services to the local area.  The sanctuary will still be used for faith based music and sermons.  Pastor Trace Timm will lead a praise and worship service one Wednesday a month.

Another Door Opens will also offer a food pantry on the third Friday of each month from 10AM-1PM.

A lot of long hours and hard work went into the renovations of Another Door Opens.  We would like to thank Mark Kreider Construction, K&D Seamless Gutters, the Mildred Faulkner Truman Foundation, the Chronicles band, Ron Chandler, our Executive Board and staff, led by Executive Director Mary Sobol and Assistant Director Shannon Hilliker, and the residents of Lockwood for the upkeep of the property and the support of our Mission.

We look forward to sharing this space with the community!

For more information on Another Door Opens, or to book the facility, please call the Mission at 607-687-1121. 

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

APRIL 5, 2022

2021 was a busy year at the Tioga County Open Door MIssion! There have been quite a few changes over the past few months, and of course we were especially busy over the holiday season!
First...to the changes...
At the Red Door on Broad Street in Waverly, we revamped the cafe area and thrift shop during the fall, and it looks great! We'll soon be offering additional meeting space on the second floor of the building. If your organization or group needs a space to gather, please consider us!
We were also busy this year renovating the former United Methodist Church in Lockwood. We have now christened it Another Door Opens Church and Community Center! We still offer a food pantry there for local residents, but when we are fully up and running, the hours of the food pantry will be extended. The location will also offer meeting space for area groups, and can host community meals, family reunions, and other non profit groups offering their services to area residents. The sanctuary will still be used for religious services and weddings.
The holiday season was once again busy for the Mission. We again offered Thanksgiving meal baskets for those in need, and hosted Children's Christmas parties in both Owego and Waverly. They were a success! We want to thank our partners...the local Toys for Tots branch, the Floyd Hooker Foundation, the Waverly Police Benevolent Association, and especially the community...who always steps forward to provide presents and funding for these special events. 162 children benefitted from our party in Owego, with well over 100 in the Waverly community.
We were the beneficiary of a couple of coat drives...organized by the Apalachin Lions Club and Tioga State Bank. Dozens of warm coats of every style and size were offered to us, for the use of those in need.
And of course we're working daily on behalf of the community. Our employees sort through the many donations our supporters so generously provide, and stock our thrift stores with them...a full time job! We provide a pick up service for those who would like to donate furniture and larger items. We also still collect scrap metal for disposal. And we offer several recovery programs at the Red Door for those battling addiction issues.
Our Outreach Department here at the Mission also helps those who need assistance with food, clothing, or furniture. We operate a food pantry at the Mission in Owego.
If you haven't visited our thrift stores in Owego and Waverly, come have a look! It's amazing what you can find, and it's a lot of fun to browze around.
Until next time!
Dawn