Happy Dragon is a second-hand store at 245 W. Main St. in Los Gatos that acts as a treasure for many--for the contributors, the shoppers and the beneficiaries.

Those who drop off old items can be sure that their discarded possessions will be transformed into a lucky find for a bargain hunter.

"You find the most unique, interesting things for such reasonable prices," says Maxine Wilkus of Almaden Valley. Wilkus frequently makes the trek to Los Gatos to shop at the Happy Dragon store. "It's fun to come find little, hidden treasures," she says.

Wilkus says she loves to turn her shopping visits to the secondhand store into an entire afternoon in Los Gatos, doing her grocery shopping at the local Lunardi's and then popping into the Happy Dragon to see the latest items that have appeared on the shelves since her last visit.

"People in Los Gatos give us incredible donations," says Sue Sermone, president of the Happy Dragon store. "Their garbage is our gold."

Perhaps the most important aspect of Happy Dragon, though, is that all the proceeds from sales at the store benefit EMQ Children & Family Services, a nonprofit organization that provides support to children with severe depression and emotional problems, and their families. Therapy, foster services, psychiatry, addiction prevention and school-based day treatment are among the services provided by the program.

Nearly 95 percent of the children served by EMQ are from low-income families who have little or no insurance. Therefore, donations and profits from the Happy Dragon store enable EMQ to reach more families.

"Times have changed. We know so much more about what can reach a child now," says Sermone. "[EMQ wants] services that wrap around the child and the whole family, to build a team, engaging the parents as part of the solution, doing everything they can to keep the child home and safe."

Another unique aspect of Happy Dragon is the tight-knit group of volunteers that keeps the place running. Many of the store's workers are well into retirement, and they credit helping out at Happy Dragon with keeping them healthy, active and happy in their later years.

Margaret Woodard, 90, has been a Happy Dragon volunteer since 1993. She often works in the front of the store, helping customers.

"I saw a little notice in the paper saying they needed volunteers," recalls Woodard. "I had just lost my husband and I needed something to get me out of the house and around different people."

Woodard says she loves her job because of the people she gets to meet at Happy Dragon and the fact that she is helping a good cause at the same time.

"I really like meeting the public. I like being with people and getting the feeling that I'm accomplishing something," she says.

Woodard still drives to Happy Dragon for all of her shifts.

"She's around 90, and she does it. She's amazing," says Sermone. "It's so great to find volunteers who do that, and who can."

Lucille "Lu" Sanner has been volunteering at Happy Dragon for 38 years.

"She's played a huge role in the governance and the day-to-day operations, and she's been president at least a dozen times," says Sermone.

"It's fun; I get to go from department to department. My husband says it's kept me young, and I think it has," says Sanner.

Sanner says the volunteers at Happy Dragon are much like an extended family.

"It's a great group. When one of us is down, everyone is very supportive," she says.

Sanner recalls the store's incredible beginnings. A garage sale one day in 1958 earned $1,800, providing the capital to open a thrift store. Sanner says the women were so dedicated that they would scrape together any pennies they had to keep the store afloat.

"If we had no money, we picked our husbands' pockets," she remembers.

Today, Happy Dragon is going strong, but Sermone says they can always use more volunteers, especially since so many of the current staff members have been there for so long--they need some fresh blood to take over when the older volunteers eventually retire.

"What we're finding is there's a core group of volunteers who have worked here for many, many years. It's becoming harder to find people, to engage people. The commitment is huge," Sermone says.

Sermone says volunteers have to be willing to do some hard labor; items that come into the store through donations have to be sorted, cleaned and stocked.

"It requires a lot of volunteers," she explains. Sermone says that the store has cut back its hours in the past due to a shortage of volunteers.

"Sundays we're closed, and we can't open a full day Saturdays because we don't have enough volunteers," she says. "That was done years ago."

Sermone says that Happy Dragon volunteers must be willing to work a minimum of three shifts per month, and there are dues of $15 per year to help pay for communications and activities.

Audrey Bridges, who has volunteered for 38 years, calls it a worthwhile experience.

The customers seem to appreciate all that the volunteers do to keep one of their favorite stores open.

"I like the bedspreads and home decorations," says loyal customer Christy Wong from San Mateo. "But most of all I like helping the charity."