Members of the Oakdale Enrichment Society (OES) are putting the finishing touches on this year’s clothing distribution effort, as they are ready to bring back Oakdale’s annual Community Closet. Date for the event is Saturday, Aug. 17, offered from 9 a.m. to noon, at the Gene Bianchi Community Center, 110 S. Second Ave., Oakdale.
The Community Closet initiative is a clothing drive and distribution that allows everyone to select free clothing for school, work, or everyday use. This year marks the seventh annual event.
From Monday, Aug. 12 through Thursday, Aug. 15, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., volunteers will be working hard to transform the Community Center for the Aug. 17 event. They will be busy setting up clothing racks and taking in and sorting through the hundreds of donations they receive. Those with gently used clothing items to donate can stop by the Community Center anytime during the Monday through Thursday, two-hour early evening time frame, to drop them off. When dropping off clothing, volunteers will unload the items from cars and provide donors with a tax letter for their donation.
Community Closet has a large variety of clothing styles available, from formal, dressy, spirit, casual, interview, and business wear.
“It makes my heart happy to see people get the clothes they need,” Lisa Ballard, president of OES, said.
The goal of Community Closet is to give back to those in the community that need a little extra help, allowing kids and adults to get the gently used clothing for school, work and home.
“Everyone is welcome,” Cherilyn Bairos, vice president of OES and mayor of Oakdale, said.
And the need is out there; as evidenced by the more than 700 individuals served last year.
Ballard and Bairos also urged attendees to “bring your own bag” since there is a limited supply of bags available.
They are also in need of clothing racks and hangers to assist with the display of clothing and welcome any donations of bags.
Last year, Community Closet brought together over 200 volunteers to prepare for and host the event, with many of them being students at Oakdale High School. Students in leadership development classes can use the Community Closet as an event to mark off leadership hours or put them down as volunteer hours.
OES is still looking for more volunteers for both the prep work from Aug. 12 through Aug. 15 as well as the day of the clothing distribution, Aug. 17.
To volunteer or donate supplies, visit enrichoakdale.org for more information.
The goal, said Ballard and Bairos, has remained the same since the very first Community Closet event exceeded expectations back in 2018: “Together, we can provide help and hope to those in need.”
