Parents, students take advantage of school-code clothing exchange

From 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, parents dropped by Alma Schrader Elementary School to look through the tables with neatly folded clothes, all marked at $1, $2, $3 or $5.

"The maximum price is $5, so families will be able to get a nice amount of clothes without spending as much," organizer Kate Sanders said.

She said this is the second time the school has organized the clothing exchange, and it has grown.

"Last year was kind of small because it was right after the dress-code change, so there wasn't as much to be sold yet," Sanders said. "But I would say we've had at least 30 families come in tonight just in the first few minutes. Some were coming in before we even started."

The event worked "kind of like a big garage sale," she said. Before the event, participants brought in clothes they wanted to sell with an envelope pinned to the top that listed their name, description of clothing, size and price.

Those who wrote their names on the envelope will receive the money for their sales, Sanders said. Others requested the clothes be donated, or the money be donated to the school's PTA.

"It's less about making money for the school and more about providing things at a very low cost for those in the schools," Sanders said.

Sanders said she had seen families only of Alma Schrader students come in, but hoped people spread the word to those with students in other schools.

"I had heard of private schools that had specific dress codes doing this, so I thought it would be a good idea," she said. "But it's not open just for Alma Schrader students; it's for anybody with a student looking for reasonably priced clothes."

Christy Pittman was one of the Alma Schrader parents walking around the tables. She shopped for her children, one in first grade and a set of twins in fourth grade.

Pittman heard about the exchange last year and received notification of this year's event through the school's text-message alerts.

"I think it's great," Pittman said as she stood in line to check out. "It's money saved throughout the year, and it's a blessing for many families."

She said she felt the exchange featured a good variety of sizes, considering the dress code came into effect only about a year ago.

After receiving a positive reaction from the community, Sanders plans to organize another exchange next year.

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

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