THOMPSONVILLE, IL (WSIL) -- This week's Unsung Hero is Karen Lyn-Owens
Karen credits a dream and God for helping her open her thrift shop, but what sets her store apart is instead of employees profiting, it's her community.
Just off Highway 34 and Angel Lane lies a true blessing.
"It was a dream that the lord gave me and he kept pestering me with the dream night after night until the wee hours of the morning till I finally says okay I will do that. I'll go to the church board and ask the Thompsonville seventh day advent church will you support me if I do this and they did,"Â said Owner Karen Lyn-Owens.
The Browse Around Thrift Store and Community Center isn't your normal type of thrift shop.
"People come in here and it's a place to come and just talk," added Lyn-Owens.
Open Monday through Wednesday from 10a.m. to 3p.m. the store's main mission is helping others in the community.
"So I went to talk to Mayor James Harris and he said they needed a park, a city park and I said well we will donate for that and we've been doing that for three years. We also help the police and the fire department," added Lyn-Owens.
After paying the bills to keep the place open all the profits from the thrift shop go back into the community.
"We keep it at very low prices, if there's a fire or something happens and somebody needs help we just give it to them, we're just here to help," said Lyn-Owens.
Help a community is more than thankful for.
So far this calendar year the thrift shop has raised more than $4,000 for the village.
If you would like to nominate someone making a difference in your community
