Free clothes give-away

by Sonja Alcock

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For the last 18 years, the Pineview Free Methodist Church in Cloyne has been hosting a bi-yearly event in order to provide clothing for those in need in our area.

The Free Clothes Give-away is held in the spring and fall each year, and approximately 200 people manage to pick up clothing for their families at each event; so over 18 years, approximately 7200 people have gathered free clothes for their families! Now if you take those 7200 people and think of a mother picking up something for her husband, and children.....say a family of four....it would bring the numbers up to 28,800 people! But I for one know that the number is much higher than that. And everything is FREE.

We depend upon people in the community to give their previously loved and gently worn clothing so that others may benefit...and so far we have been blessed beyond our imagination. The clothing that is left behind at the end of our two day event is boxed up and given to the March of Dimes, Salvation Army and Goodwill. The March of Dimes usually sends clothing that will not be used here in Canada overseas to war-torn countries...so all the clothing given benefits not only those in our area, but beyond!

The upcoming Free Clothes Give-away event will be held on Friday and Saturday, October 27 and 28 at the Cloyne recreation hall. On Friday the hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Clean clothing and linens may be dropped off at the hall on Thursday at 6 p.m. and all day Friday.