A mobile clothing collection program being launched by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Williams Lake received some much-needed storage on wheels recently thanks to a generous donation from a lakecity business.
Angela Kadar, executive director with BBBSWL, said due to the pandemic the non-profit organization was forced to close down its Purple Bin clothing collection program.
“For 18 years we have collected used clothes from people in our community with the Purple Bins,” Kadar said, noting the shut down of the Purple Bin program led them to explore other options.
“As one of the agency’s main fundraisers, it was devastating to have it shut down … the bins kept tons of clothing out of the landfill.”
The solution, she said, was a mobile, Parking Lot Clothing Drive.
“We immediately found ourselves in desperate need of a cargo trailer,” Kadar said. “We called to places all over town trying to find an affordable trailer to rent.”
When Kadar reached out to Chemo RV’s general manager Kelly Carson, he said they had a five by eight cargo trailer they could use.
“We asked if they would be willing to let us use it at a discounted rate,” Kadar said. “He called back and said: ‘I’m just going to give it to you.’ We were in complete shock and never expected to receive such an enormous gift.”
Beginning this week (March 29), BBBSWL will begin parking the cargo trailer in two locations on two separate days of the week. On Tuesdays, the trailer will be at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex from noon to 1 p.m. in the parking lot closest to Kiwanis Park. Then on Wednesdays, the cargo trailer will be parked at Marshall’s 150 Mile Store from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Kadar, meanwhile, said she’d like to challenge the community to donate and recycle clothing instead of throwing it in the landfill.
Donated clothing will be quarantined and offered to BBBSWL’s clients first, before being sent to Value Village in Kamloops for distribution.
Kadar said clothing and items being accepted through the mobile clothing collection program will include: men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, outer wear, boots, shoes, hats, mittens, scarves, ties, socks, purses, wallets, bags, bedding, towels and jewellery.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is also in the midst of a Survivor Raffle and will be giving away up to $4,900 in gift cards from local businesses.
Tickets are $35 and are available online only at BBBSWL’s website at https://williamslake.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/survival-raffle-fundraiser/. The final day to purchase a ticket is March 31.
Kadar said the event will feature an elimination-style raffle, so the lone survivor will win the grand prize.
The Survivor Raffle is open to anyone above the age of 19 who resides in B.C. All proceeds, Kadar said, will go toward youth-based mentoring programs in Williams Lake.
greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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