Historic Clothing Closet 1981-1990

The Mannequin, Lydia, personified the Clothing Closet. Her clothing changed with the seasons as her persona stayed the same, a type of mascot endearing her domain of clothing, accessories, scarves, jewelry, belts and shoes. Unusual clothing at times vintage at others depending on the donations from estate sales, garage sales, hand me downs, home sewn designed with another figure in mind. Included was everything from handbags and hats on a hat rack, gloves for winter, gloves for prom or dining, and mittens for children and fur hats for Russians and straw hats for summer.

Donated household items came from people weekly. Interesting items like knick-knacks from vacations that were long forgotten, or salt and pepper shakers that looked like decorative perfume bottles and wood carved statues, and clocks and candles, and record albums, and books; Needed furniture like small tables and chairs, or lamps and stands; And tools, for the garden or house; Dishes, bowls, pots pans, and silverware and coffee pots; And children's toys baby dolls and doll clothes, stuffed animals and coloring books, racing cars, trucks, and bongos and drums, and games.

We had an adventure in things; Things to wear, things to use, things to play with, things to listen to, things to read, things to look at, things to giveaway, and things to own. Best of all, we had things for free.

Who were the volunteers? They were ‘People who regarded, sorted and stored things that would handle these things and dust them and wash them and fix them; people who would stack them on shelves and pick them up from the floor and rearrange these wonderful fun and interesting things; people who would make these things ready to receive; people who would love these things and give them their place. These people were senior volunteers, many times very old and experienced volunteers. They knew just what to do with these things. They were familiar things, they were memorable and they recognized them, they appreciated them and sometimes they wanted to keep these things and sometimes these things were hard to let go.

Then the shoppers, the adventurers would come to hunt for these things. They would marvel and laugh and giggle and whisper and shout about these things. Then they would bag them and hug them and hide them and keep them. They asked questions about these things, and tried things on and found things for themselves, their house and their children. They received and owned these beautiful, wonderful things that others let go.

Carolyn Remembers the Clothing Closet

Our Clothing Closet was well organized. Clothing was labeled and restocked daily. Only very good clothes were hung which meant a lot of sorting and throwing out clothes that didn't make the grade. We were fussy. It had to be clean no rips or stains or badly wrinkled. We had regular senior volunteers and church members who helped on Wednesday nights during their bible study.

I remember receiving new clothes once from a store going out of business. Clothing donations came from throughout the Twin Cities, even clients donated. During the winter month's people would make special trips to bring in winter coats, hats and mittens. A senior woman would knit pairs of mittens and scarves. Mildred, would go to garage sales and buy children's and baby clothes and take it home and wash it and mend it. When she brought it in it would be like new. A Senior Sewing Club made small quilts with salvage fabric that got donated. Many times these would go to the Hobo Bus during the winter.

Clothing kept coming in and we had to store it in the balcony. Finally we could not put any more in the balcony and decided to take it all and give it away at one time. In the article above titled 'Church Plans to Give Clothes' it tells about the GiveAway. We made a shoot out the window and it went down the shoot to a school bus where we stored it. We had a big garage sale gave it all away. It was a great accomplishment and blessing!