GOLDEN VALLEY – Alicia Sapp, CEO and founder of the Golden Valley Family Resource Center and Frankie Lyons, founder of Veterans United Arizona, are happy to announce the Grand Opening of Happy Hearts Thrift Store and Consignment Shop located at 5417 Hwy. 68. Happy Hearts Thrift store will hold a grand opening on Friday, September 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the public is invited. Come and enjoy hamburgers, hot dogs, and refreshments in celebration of the start of new effort to help the Golden Valley community. Happy Hearts Thrift Store is 501c3 nonprofit that will help anyone in need of services. “We will help anyone who walks into our door. Veterans, retirees, the disabled, and the needy. Unfortunately, more and more people are in need of help these days. Whatever help they need they’ll find it right here,” Sapp said.
Whether it was helping her family at home, serving her country, or volunteering at the local food bank, Sapp has lived a life of service to her fellow man. Originally from Long Beach, Calif., Sapp joined the U.S. Army right out of high school in 1993 and served until her honorable discharge in 2008. Finding herself in Fort Smith, Arkansas after her enlistment ,she met her husband Rocky. Happily married and committed to the long haul, together they eventually made their way to Golden Valley in 2009. In 2010 they began working with local churches and the Food for Families food bank in Bullhead City. It was not uncommon for Alicia and Rocky to bring three truckloads of food up the hill from the food bank and distribute it to those in need throughout Golden Valley.
After 10 years of working and volunteering for others Alicia decided to start her own nonprofit in 2020, The Golden Valley Family Resource. With Lyons as her vice president, friend, and confidant, together they have secured a building and will now start bringing services to Golden Valley residents at Happy Hearts Thrift Store, instead of residents having to go to Kingman and elsewhere.
Sapp stated, “I couldn’t have done this without the help of Frankie [Lyons], Sheria Liles of the St. Mary’s Food Bank, Roxann Paynter of V.F.W. #255, volunteer Elaina DeRosa, Great American Pizza & Subs, and Hwy 68 IL Cafe.”
With the community’s help, Sapp is ready to repay the generosity of others by bringing much needed help and other services to the heart of Golden Valley.
Lyons said about Happy Hearts Thrift store, “We’re networking with charities like the United Way and Catholic Charities to bring help and services to Golden Valley, so our residents don’t have to travel too far for their needs. We’re working to make Happy Hearts a good place and the center of neighbors helping neighbors in Golden Valley.”
Happy Hearts will have plenty items for sale throughout the store and all proceeds will go to helping those in need in the local area. Happy Hearts will be helping veterans by donating to them whatever they may need such as a refrigerator, household furniture, or a bed if it is needed. Happy Hearts will also donate to anyone in need, six items of clothing per month for free.
“We’re here for the community. Golden Valley is our home, and the people here are our neighbors. We want them to know that they are welcomed and we’re here to help,” Sapp finished.
Mark your calendars for Friday, September 1 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. and come out to Happy Hearts Thrift Store’s grand opening at 5417 Hwy 68 [that’s on the north side of the highway]. Come and enjoy some hot food, cold drinks, and have a look around. You never know, you just might find something unique and one of a kind you’d like to take home, or meet someone helpful and interesting. As Golden Valley grows and it will continue to do so, Happy Hearts hopes to be the community center that everyone will turn to for a good start. Now, if we could only get a grocery store out here.
Estevan Hernandez
