Bill and Betty Arey each spend up to 40 hours at The Closet thrift shop in Herndon. They say there is no place they would rather be together.
HERNDON, Va. — Bill Arey spent more than four decades working for the federal government as an engineer. But it was after that career ended that he found his true passion at a Herndon, Virginia thrift store.
“I think what I did was important,” Arey said recalling his days working in national defense. “But I didn’t touch anybody.”
When a member of his church recruited Arey to volunteer at “The Closet” store, he began picking up shifts with his wife Betty. Nearly 15 years later, they have continued volunteering in retirement. The couple spends 40 hours, six days a week at the nonprofit.
“Yeah, a lot of retired people think we’re crazy,” Betty, who spent her career working as a pre-school teacher, …