Three times every year, Sylvan Lake Community Partners runs a much needed service for the community and its surrounding area. The group is currently holding their swap from May 15-19.
“We have our Clothing and Equipment Swap running,” Community Partners Office Manager Ingrid Soanes said. “We have this three times a year in October, February and May. It is free to all the Sylvan Lake community, including Rimbey, Eckville and Bentley.”
The swap allows families to receive and donate items of clothing in order to alleviate financial stress.
“We want to be able to help families that maybe can’t afford to buy clothes,” said Soanes. “It is here for them if they need it, and a lot of people bring clothes in and swap them out. Their kids outgrow them and they pick out bigger sizes. We collect any clothes sized 0-16, strollers, bouncy chair, play pens and all sorts of different baby items.”
The swap exemplifies Community Partners’ mission, according to Soanes.
“It is very important for us to do this for the community because this is what we do - we help people in need and that’s why we continue to do this,” she said. “We only run it two times per year, but we increased it to three because there is such a need in the community. It also used to be for sized 0-6, but we have increased it to 16 so that we can help out teenagers.”
You can help out Community Partners by donating clothing or items, or simply by making a financial donation.
“We can take monetary donations if people wish to do that. Some people will take clothes and leave a few dollars here and there - everything helps,” Soanes added.
todd.vaughan@sylvanlakenews.com