The second annual Revelstoke Women’s Mega Clothing Swap fundraiser was a giant hit on Saturday, bringing out about 350 people and raising $1,806 for the Revelstoke District Humane Society.
Women started lining up at the community centre before the doors opened for the swap at 11:30 a.m. They carried in bags and bags of clothes that volunteers sorted inside the main hall. The line up stretched down the hallway and outside the community centre at its peak, said organizer Lexi Ast, and it took two hours for it to clear.
Photo: Organizer Lexi Ast (right) and Brodie Johnson work the door at the clothing swap.
Swappers paid $5 to get in if they brought clothes for the swap, or $10 if they showed up empty handed. They brought what they didn’t need, and left with what they wanted.
While there was no limit to what women could take home, a lot of clothes were left over. They were sent to several places. The formal wear went to the Revelstoke Prom Project, all denim pants went to a local home business, and the rest — about 15 full garbage bags worth – went to Ray Brosseuk for shipment to Belize.
Photo: From left: Crystal Johnson, Brenda Goodman and Andrea Winter sort clothes at the swap.
Ast thanked all the volunteers who helped sort clothes, and the City of Revelstoke for donating the community hall for the event.
Last year’s swap attracted about 200 people and raised $1,000 for the women’s shelter. The human society was chosen as the recipient of this year’s funds in an online poll. There was also a prize raffle during the swap.
Zara Carnie (left) and Sharon Reichel browse through the countless clothing items available at the swap.