Annual clothing sale benefits church, pantry
The biggest challenge of running an annual clothing sale? The amount of clothing.
Since 2021, Ivy Meeropol and Dar Williams have organized a thrift sale each spring to benefit the Philipstown Food Pantry and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Last year’s sale raised $12,000. The three-day event, scheduled this year for April 26 to 28, is sponsored by the church, Philipstown Loop and the Philipstown Climate Smart Initiative.
The abundance of donated stock reflects the environmental impact of our consumer culture, Meeropol says. Thrift sales provide a counterweight.
Meeropol, a documentary filmmaker, and Williams, a singer-songwriter, came up with the idea for the sale after discussing their shared love of thrifting. Meeropol recalls switching in college from shopping at malls to a hospital thrift store.
“It wasn’t just a financial thing,” she says. “It encouraged creativity in what you wore.”
Williams says she connects to thrifting through her hunt to find unusual items to wear onstage. “You’re going to find the funkiest, interesting glittery stuff at thrift sales or stores, as opposed to Nordstrom,” she says. “There’s just a lot of good, beautiful, colorful stuff that you can create a wardrobe out of.”
The women hosted their first sale in December 2021. Early on, they had to figure out how to sort and display the donations, price them and assess quality. “We had all these young people come from New York City who got so excited just filling bags and saying, ‘Now, this is real thrifting,’ ” Meeropol says.
They also realized that four hours, including two after dark, was not enough to sell more than about a quarter of the donated clothes. This year’s sale will take place over three days.
How to Donate
The early donation period ends today (April 19) but clothing can be dropped off (and, preferably, hung on the racks) at the St. Mary’s Parish Hall from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. from Monday to Thursday (April 22 to 25). Clothing should not be dropped in the clothing-donation shed in the south parking lot.Clothes should be in good condition in any adult size range. Jewelry, shoes and accessories are also accepted. If donating clothes in bags, include a list that specifies what garments are inside and their sizes and condition.
How to Shop
The sale will begin on Friday (April 26) from 5 to 7:30 p.m. with a $20 admission fee. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own bags. Non-luxury items will be priced at $5 to $10 each.On Saturday, early birds can shop from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. for $20. There is no admission fee from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m., shoppers can fill a bag for $10.
In addition to raising money, the sales have provided an opportunity to help neighbors in need. “If somebody needs a winter coat, you give them a coat,” Meeropol says.
Residents who donate clothes sometimes do so with a sense of closure because they belonged to a loved one who died. One shopper told Williams her mother would be happy to know that the proceeds from her wardrobe were going to the food pantry and church.
To volunteer to sort and evaluate donations, or to help at the sale, email [email protected].
We thank the Current and reporter Erin-Leigh Hoffman for this excellent piece spreading the word about the Thrift Sale at St. Mary’s. However, Dar and I, who were interviewed together, want to make it abundantly clear than the article does that it is a team of dedicated volunteers who make the sale happen. Raquel Vidal, Amy Kubik, Eugenie Milroy, Joanne Russell, Shelley Gilbert, Charlotte Palmer, Sarah Wallis, Caitlin Chadwick, Michele Gedney, Julia Wood Ransom and many others have helped make this the huge success it is. Not one or even two of us could do it alone.