The Dorsey Plaza Thrift Store has a strong duo.

“We’re known as the mother-daughter team,” said Alice Wilberding, the Shift Lead. “A lot of people enjoy that connection because you don’t see a lot of mother-daughter teams working together in the real world. Sometimes you hear, ‘I don’t think I could work with my mom.’”

For three years, Alice has worked with her mother, Catherine, at our thrift store.

“We work well together as a team and the customers know that,” Alice added. “We both genuinely care for the store and the customers. A lot of customers know it and they feel it and they see it.”

Catherine, who is a cashier, came with 32 years of retail experience before being hired at our thrift store in 2017.

“We used to go to St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church on Shelby and Oak. They did a lot to help people and I thought if I ever had a chance to help, I would,” Catherine said.

The Wilberdings, who are members of Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Church, have a servant’s heart.

“I genuinely love helping people, and that’s why I like working for St. Vincent de Paul ... especially with people in Louisville suffering with loss of jobs and income, that money can go to our programming and services,” Alice said.

The Wilberdings work in sync with each other, even without words.

“They complement each other,” added Andrea Coleman, Store Manager at the Dorsey Plaza Thrift Store.

It comes from years and years of spending time with each other.

“We have a lot of good family memories. We’ve always been a tight-knit family. We had game nights and traveled together,” Alice said.

“It doesn’t take a whole lot of money to make us happy,” Catherine added.

After Catherine lost her husband in 2014, it drew her and her daughter even closer together. They enjoy hanging out outside of work, and you’ll never guess what they enjoy doing on their days off.

“We actually like to thrift,” Alice said.

Alice also attributes her self-starter attitude to her mother.

“We take pride in our job,” Alice said. “We both have a strong work ethic because I get that from my mom. That’s how she raised me. I started doing chores and charity work when I was little. You give back. We didn’t always have a lot. If you didn’t have money, you give time.”

The Wilberdings go above and beyond at our thrift store.

“I like St. Vincent … the people here because they consider you friends, not just a worker. They know that you will help out,” Catherine said.

Alice, who is a licensed occupational therapist, once saved a shopper’s life when he was having a stroke. He calls her his “little guardian angel.”

“It’s a different vibe here,” Alice said. “Not only do they know that we care about St. Vincent and the mission that we’re supporting, but we care about people and I think they feel that.”

You can support our stores by donating or shopping at www.svdplou.org/thrift-stores.