A homemade camel rocking horse awaits its new owner at St. Andrews United Presbyterian Church's Alcove used furniture store Tuesday. Proceeds from Saturday's sales at the store will go toward the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance fund to benefit Ukrainian refugees. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle 03/22/22

Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church has operated a shop, called the Alcove, to receive and sell donated items to help keep the church funded through the coronavirus pandemic. On Saturday, proceeds from the Alcove will be donated to aid Ukrainian relief efforts.

The bi-weekly sale the church holds at the shop will benefit Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, which has a fund aimed at helping the Ukrainian people. Anzella Kelley, chairwoman of deacons at Saint Andrews United Presbyterian Church, said money generated through sales now can be put toward anything members find important.

“(The store) really kept our church afloat during COVID, but now we're able to do more things with the money,” Kelley said. “The money is going to help refugees and displaced persons, right to Ukraine and the people on the ground.”

The sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the church at 201 Jefferson Street. Kelley said items on sale at the shop are relatively inexpensive — everything refurbished from donations given to the church — but it has generated a lot of money on previous sales days.

“We made $800 one day. That was a day we didn't have anything special going on,” Kelley said. “Being we did this so quickly, I'm hoping we see $1,000 (on Saturday).”

Presbyterian Church USA, the Presbyterian umbrella organization of which Saint Andrews is a part, will match the shop donations up to $24,000, according to Kelley.

Merry Meloy, pastor of Saint Andrews, applauded the work church members did to turn the Alcove into a support system for the church and the community.

“It has become wonderful,” Meloy said. “The Alcove team got really creative and figured out a way to pivot and continue to meet needs in the community.”

Meloy said she plans to contact Saint Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church to potentially collaborate on initiatives.

“I am hoping we can reach out to them to see if there are other ways to be helpful,” she said. “I would really welcome closer communication with them.”

Kelley said six people help run the shop, but the community also has supported the church in its initiatives since it opened during the pandemic.

“It demonstrates that our church members really want to help out and just do something,” Kelley said.

Church volunteer Susan Race, right, rings up a purchase by Lina Cyprian at St. Andrews United Presbyterian Church's the Alcove used furniture store Tuesday. On Saturday, sales proceeds at the store will go toward helping Ukrainian refugees. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle 03/22/22

Church volunteer Carol Dreyer washes dishes Tuesday that will be sold at St. Andrews United Presbyterian Church's the Alcove used furniture store. The store’s proceeds Saturday will go to the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance fund to aid Ukrainian refugees. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle 03/22/22

Carol Holochuk of Butler works on reupholstering a dining chair at St. Andrews United Presbyterian Church's the Alcove used furniture store Tuesday. The store’s Saturday sales proceeds will be donated to a fund benefiting Ukrainian refugees. Seb Foltz/Butler Eagle 03/22/22