Civitan opens store to fund local museum

By Staff
Melissa Cason
Franklin County Times
RED BAY – The Red Bay Civitan Club held a ribbon cutting ceremony for their thrift store, Civitan Depot, Thursday afternoon.
The Civitan Depot thrift store has been open for several months in the building donated to the club by Daniel and Barbara Humphries of Red Bay.
The Depot will carry items that have been donated to the Civitan Club, and all are in good condition.
Items can be dropped off at the store during Depot hours, or during the museum's hours of operation.
"If it's not busy at the museum, we come over here to work sometimes," Depot volunteer Ann Vinson said. "So, we can take donations anytime the store or the museum are open."
The funds brought in by the Civitan Depot go to cover operating costs and renovations at the Red Bay museum.
The store is in only part of the building. The rest will be annexed for the museum and will house exhibits.
"We will are going to have a larger military exhibit and we will add a Native American exhibit," Civitan Member Scotty Kennedy said.
TVA has also agreed to loan items dating back to 700 A.D.
"The items they are planning to loan us were found when they dug up the Bear Creek Lakes," Kennedy said.
No timetable has been set for the Native American Museum.
The Red Bay Train Depot exhibit will also be moved into the new annex, which will give them more room to house other exhibits in the museum.
In addition to funding the museum, the Red Bay Civitan Club supports the Sara Dinsmore Center, the Birmingham Children's Research Hospital and other local charities.