ReStore Core Volunteers are regular volunteers who show up week after week and bring specialized skills like furniture repair, antique identification and artwork organization. Their reliability and expertise are the backbone of our ReStore operations! Meet some of our Core ReStore Volunteers:
Ellen Comai – Cary ReStore
Ellen Comai has been a dedicated volunteer at the Cary ReStore for more than 8 years! She’d heard about Habitat for Humanity ReStores and thought it would be interesting to get involved. She’s glad she did, she says, because “the people are wonderful and being older, it’s a nice outlet for socializing.” If the Cary ReStore had a reality TV show, she would call it "ReStore Rascals." Ellen always brings her bright spirit and sense of humor to the ReStore with her.
Ellen is an expert pricer, so she's seen lots of items donated to the ReStore. When asked what is the most interesting item she’s encountered, she answered with a gold tooth!
Ellen loves getting to encounter all different types of people while volunteering and experiencing lots of laughs. Thank you, Ellen, for being an amazing and dedicated Core Volunteer!
Linda Ballard - Raleigh ReStore
Linda Ballard has been devoting her time to the Raleigh Blvd ReStore since July of 2022. She has spent her life working for volunteer organizations, schools, and churches, but she hadn’t gotten the opportunity to work with Habitat. She knew ladders were not her thing anymore, so she decided to get involved with the ReStore! In less than four years, Linda has contributed more than 3,500 hours of service to the ReStore.
Linda doesn’t set out to be a leader, but she is absolutely regarded as a leader at the Raleigh Blvd ReStore. Her favorite task to lead other volunteers in is the cardboard crusher. She relates the art of the crusher to Michelangelo carving David, saying, “He just sat, prayed, and listened to the stone, and David happened. No excuse for a messy or lopsided cardboard baler.”
Linda keeps coming back to the ReStore because she values being useful for a good cause, and we are so appreciative of all she does!
Kay Cannedy - Fuquay-Varina ReStore
Kay Cannedy is a loyal volunteer of 12 years at the Fuquay-Varina ReStore. She initially served on Habitat Wake’s board and was on a committee to explore the feasibility of opening a new ReStore. It was there she learned about how effective ReStores are in generating revenue to build affordable homes, and she was inspired to become a volunteer.
Kay’s specialty at the Fuquay ReStore is lighting. She cleans donated lights to reveal their hidden beauty and displays them attractively to help them sell. Her favorite memory from volunteering is seeing the Fuquay ReStore transform into the organized and well-established ReStore it is today.
Kay continues coming back to volunteer because she truly believes in Habitat for Humanity of Wake County’s vision that everyone should have access to a safe and affordable place to call home. Thank you, Kay, for your hard work and dedication! The Fuquay-Varina ReStore would not be the same without you!