Over the weekend ARTS/ West hosted their seventh annual fundraiser called Cat’s Pajamas Clothing Exchange, where anyone could come in, donate clothes, and pick some new clothes out for themselves.
Over the weekend, while many went out to enjoy the fest, others headed over to ARTS/West for the seventh annual fundraiser called Cat’s Pajamas Clothing Exchange.
“The Cat’s Pajamas Clothing Exchange is an event that is supposed to get people to meet new people in their community, hand in some clothes that may have been used by somebody else who may not want them anymore and get the clothes to a person who may need the more,” said Emily Beveridge, an events coordinator at ARTS/West and creator of Cat’s Pajamas. “It is also a benefit for ARTS/West, which is a nonprofit arts organization in Athens.”
The event took place at ARTS/West, 132 W. State St., on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
If clothes were brought in on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., donors would receive a “golden ticket,” which allows them to take unlimited items during the event. If clothes are donated on the days of the exchange, donors may take as many items as they brought, additional items $1. Entry on Friday was $15 and $5 the other days. All proceeds benefit ARTS/West, a non-profit arts organization.
“I am currently pledging the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega and attending this event was one of my service opportunities that I chose to do,” said Melissa Kauffman, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering. “I thought the event was a lot of fun, it was really cool to see people bring in their stuff, have us put it out, and then see them going back through it and picking other people’s stuff. Seeing people pick up clothing items that they thought were really cool, putting them in their bags, and watching how excited they got over it was very cool.”
The event is usually held in the basement of ARTS/West, which Beveridge said is a little more cramped and chaotic. Now, they were able to do it in their newly refurbished performance space, upstairs.
“I think this event is a really good idea,” said Christine Baucco, a freshman majoring in athletic training. “I like the cause, and I like how all of the clothes are kind of newer things.”
The mission of ARTS/West is to make facilities, resources and opportunities available to arts organizations, individual artists and community residents in Athens.
“I just can’t say thank you enough for everyone who came for this years event and there are incredible finds here that you find nowhere else except this event. That really makes me feel good that the clothing value that (is) being thrown away, shipped out of our region or donated to Goodwill (is) staying longer,” Beveridge said.
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