Thanks-4-Giving behind the scenes

Story and Photos by Rebecca Soulé | Luca Photography

I remember reading the paper three years ago and seeing an announcement for a clothing exchange where all the clothes were free to take. Were my eyes deceiving me? As a new m,om slightly delirious from lack of sleep, I re-read the blurb and thought “Well, I’ll be there!”

I arrived at Hawthorne gym entrance, third in line, and waited anxiously for the doors to open. The line grew quickly. People brought their re-useable bags and had excitement on their faces. The doors opened and we rushed in, grabbing clothes, stuffing them into our bags, throwing them at our husbands who stayed a full ten feet away from the eager women (If only those men knew what a women’s shoe sale was like).

Two years later, on a cold November morning a few volunteers opened the doors to the semi-truck trailer being used for temporary storage of the donated clothing. SUVs, mini-vans and trucks lined up with bags of clothing. The volunteers were all a bit overwhelmed with the mounding pile of bags heaped at the doorway of the trailer.

The big day had finally arrived when the Willson school gym was open for set-up and volunteers from all over the community poured in to help. Volunteers were in the gym for hours folding, distributing, organizing, sizing and hanging until exhaustion set in.

Just before the doors opened to the public, we looked around the room at heaps of clothing, laughing at the pure awesomeness of what we saw. Ten foot long tables piled three feet high with shirts, skirts, pants, shorts, clothes under tables, more than a thousand shoes lined up, racks swelled with jackets and dresses. Everyone in the gym was affected by the generosity of our community to pay it forward.

The idea behind Thanks-4-Giving clothing giveaway came from Hawthorne Elementary School parent Reni Kessinger and her daughters. What started as a small school project to exchange clothing with other students quickly grew into a community event thanks to a collaboration of area school volunteers and students. Now entering its fourth year, Thanks-4-Giving redistributes tons of clothing as a way to recycle, reuse and encourage giving.

Pre-sorted gently used infant to adult clothing and shoes can be dropped off at the Willson School Gymnasium 404 W. Main St. November 14-18, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. The giveaway is Saturday, November 19 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. and Sunday, November 20 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Everyone is invited to come and take items that their family can use.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Aloha Williams at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Rebecca Soulé at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Rebecca Soulé is a Mom, owner of LucaPhotography and a Thanks-4-Giving coordinator.