Winter clothing drive pulls it in

A recent clothing drive collected almost three tons of used clothing and required dozens of community volunteers to sort, mend and deliver the items to families and groups who needed them.

“It was more successful than I would have ever imagined,” said Samantha Scholefield, organizer of the November 18 event at the community center, adding, “When we put out the call to our community e-newsletters to advertise it, I had no idea what kind of response we would get. But from the first, I had emails about volunteering, about dropping off early. I had people stop me when I was updating the chalk board. I had people offer to mend items that needed special attention before they could be worn again! It was a beautiful response.”

Over 100 garbage bags full of clothes went to local families distributed through the Point Roberts food bank, the Lighthouse Mission in Bellingham, a group that supplies clothes to kids going into foster care, a women’s shelter and an organization that helps unemployed men get work. “In the process of the afternoon we helped a family whose house burned down last week and a family whose grown children had recently moved back with grandchildren in tow,” Scholefield said. They also delivered linens to the Icelandic Harbour assisted living residence in Vancouver.

“It was a display of generosity and thoughtfulness that the community should be so proud of,” Scholefield said. “Thank you to everyone who donated and who volunteered.”