When thrift means generosity
A storied chapter in City of Hope’s history of long-term volunteerism has ended.
In May, Bernie and Ruth Waldow shuttered the thrift store they opened in Culver City, Calif., some 30 years ago to raise funds for City of Hope. What began as a simple storefront became a welcoming gathering spot for neighbors, a celebrity haunt, an occasional movie shoot location and a hub of volunteer activity.
photo: COURTESY OF WALDOW FAMILYBernie and Ruth Waldow
Shortly after participating in a fundraising drive for a friend with leukemia in the early ‘70s, the Waldows joined the Dorothy Polansky Chapter, with Ruth eventually becoming the group’s secretary and Bernie the vice president. Bernie then was elected president, an office he still holds in the 90-member chapter.
The couple’s creative fundraising ideas helped the chapter generate more than $450,000 in its first year. The duo then applied the same ingenuity to running the thrift store. With an ideal location, the store enjoyed a healthy stream of foot traffic. “Crate & Barrel donated some of their slightly damaged goods weekly. These items produced $4,000 to $5,000 in income for us each month,” Bernie said.
Many of the store’s customers felt a special kinship with the couple, expressing in letters their sadness at its closing. “Each trip to your store has been like a treasure hunt,” wrote customers Shelley and Marc Rohan. “My husband and I have been so blessed by you. Our house would not be a home if it weren’t for you.”
photo: COURTESY OF WALDOW FAMILYThe Waldows (bottom row, second and third from left) with fellow volunteers at City of Hope’s thrift store in Culver City, Calif., in 1974
In 1996, the Waldows also played a major role in the creation of Walk for Hope, now a nationwide annual fundraiser for the institution. Momentum from the first event’s success grew into more exciting features in the subsequent years. “In 1999, we included a Harley motorcade. The ground shook!,” Bernie recalled.
The couple also have a personal connection to City of Hope: Bernie’s stepmother, Betty Waldow, was successfully treated there. “Where other institutions estimated she had months to live, City of Hope gave her five more years of quality life,” Ruth said.
Residing in Culver City, the octogenarian couple has two sons, Sandy and Perry, along with two grandchildren, Brian and Darrin. They enjoy taking local community college classes and attending social events. Even today, the Waldows remain generous with their time, actively fundraising for City of Hope. Said Bernie: “It keeps us young.”