NEWBERG, Ore. — When Francesca Batchler lost her husband of 40 years to a head-on collision in 2019, she fell into a deep emptiness that left her moving from her bed to her couch and living in despair, she said. After a month of being alone, Batchler decided she needed something more.
“I thought to myself, ‘What have I been taught at the pulpit all my life?’” Batchler said. “‘When things are rough, and you’re going through hard times, the best thing to do is help your fellow man.’”
After a short period of searching for a cause, Batchler started volunteering at the Newberg Thrift Shop, a store run entirely by volunteers that donates its proceeds to local organizations. At the thrift shop, she found a community of mostly women, many of whom had been through experiences similar to hers. It was there that she also found a deeper sense of purpose in her service…