CENTERVILLE, Utah — More than 400 Church members participated in the grand opening of the Church's newest Deseret Industries thrift store and rehabilitation center here Jan. 14.

The 39,000 square-foot facility, located at 158 East Pages Lane in Centerville, replaces a smaller, out-of-date facility at a nearby location in the city, which is located some 12 miles north of Salt Lake City.

During the grand opening ceremony, Relief Society General President Mary Ellen Smoot offered remarks. Randall M. Browning, agent stake president, conducted the service. Lawry Alder, regional welfare agent, and K. John Jones, Bountiful Regional Welfare Council Chairman, offered the invocation and the benediction, respectively. Those in attendance also participated in the program, singing the opening and closing hymns: "Have I Done Any Good," and "Because I Have Been Given Much."

The Church owns and operates 47 Deseret Industries stores in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, California, Washington and Oregon. Begun more than 60 years ago, Deseret Industries is a non-profit welfare enterprise designed to help individuals with special needs develop self-reliance through work and training and to provide opportunities for giving and service to all.

The new facility is expected to train approximately 150 people, who have disabilities or are in need of vocational rehabilitation, each year. Annually, Deseret Industries offers employment and training to more than 6,000 people, many of whom develop skills that help them find jobs.

In addition, Deseret Industries collects donations of clothing, appliances, books, tools and toys, to name a few, from community members. Many Church members also volunteer time at the stores sorting, cleaning, repairing, tagging and organizing donated items.

Sister Smoot said she was impressed with the new facility. Giving and serving through organizations such as the Deseret Industries exemplifies the principles of the Relief Society, which she said is "always a 'relief' society. It is important to do service for our own community," she said. "We have the opportunity to reach out to everyone. This is what the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about."

Curtis E. Ravsten, director of the Deseret Industries, said the new thrift store will draw from a population area of some 100,000 people, 23 stakes and 215 wards. With their assistance, he added, the store, along with other Deseret Industries, will help millions of people worldwide.

Surplus clothing donations are shipped to the Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City where they are sorted and distributed to needy people the world over, Brother Ravsten explained. To date, the Church has distributed more than 29 million tons of clothing for humanitarian relief.

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