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The Salvage Sistars, from left, Kelly Gatchell, Janis St. John, Eileen McLaughlin and Linda Bradburn. One person’s junk is a Salvage Sistars’ treasure. Sisters Janis St. John of Port Perry, and Linda Bradburn and Kelly Gatchell of Blackstock, are the Salvage Sistars. The “sistars” passion is finding castoffs and giving them a new life. It could be a lawn chair someone left out on the side of the road. Maybe it’s an old table found at a second hand store. It could be an antique window frame or a metal teapot. The ingenuity of the sisters turns cast- offs into functional and aesthetically pleasing repurposed items. The old lampshade adorned with “flowers” made from old sheet music is a classic example of taking some- thing abandoned and transforming it into something beautiful. The result was a unique Victorian lamp. The Salvage Sistars also refinish antique furniture, make whimsical stained glass windows and other home décor items, available locally at Redman’s barn. Talented friend Kelly Hope sometimes joins in with a paint brush. Kelly does a lot of inspired work with wire and rails. Where do they find their treasures? The pickers have 86 FOCUS - OCTOBER 2013 a circuit around Durham Region. “Momsie” Eileen McLaughlin, 83, likes to accompany them on their daytrips, which include visiting the Hospital Auxil- iary store in Port Perry and the Restore in Uxbridge. Auctions and yard sales are other sources. “We call it Driving Miss Daisy,” the Sistars joke affectionately. As well as salvaging, they also do catering (led by Linda.) Everything floral is Janis’ specialty. “Live What You Love” is their motto, Linda says. “It’s not work if you love what you do,” adds Janis. When people ask the sisters why they don’t ever just relax, they shake their heads. That would be bor- ing. Their projects are “fun.” It was Momsie who raised her daughters to create things. She passed along her green thumb, and taught them everything from sewing to cooking and can- ning pears to making pickles and corn relish and chili sauce. The girls even learned how to pluck chickens.