River View Community Clothing Drive approaching
Jodi Shrimplin is in her third year of holding clothing drives for the community. She and Kassidee McVay, one of her helpers from River View High School, are pictured with some of the many donations she has received for the drive. Josie Sellers | Beacon
WARSAW – Jodi Shrimplin is hoping to have another positive response to her River View Community Clothing Drive.
The distribution of free clothing and shoes will be held from 3:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30 at River View High School.
“Everyone seems to be really appreciative of it and people keep giving me clothes for it,” Shrimplin said.
This is the third year for the clothing drive. The first year she held events at Union and Conesville elementary schools and last year she held a fall and spring one at RVHS that everyone was invited to. This school year she plans to hold clothing drives in September, November and March.
“I have a room at the high school that is full of donations from floor to ceiling,” Shrimplin said. “We are doing a huge cleaning out of the closet. The drives are open to anybody and everybody and people are welcome to bring their own bags as we typically just have Wal-Mart size bags.”
She expects the cafeteria at RVHS to be filled with items ranging in size newborn to 3xl for boys, girls, men and women.
Helping her with the clothing drives this year are River View High School students Kassidee McVay, Danielle Chaney and Katie Harvel. The three are volunteering their time for their senior project.
“I’ve helped with going through clothes and sorting them,” McVay said. “At first I wanted to do something to help the animal shelter, but I didn’t have ideas. Danielle and Katie told me they were doing this and suggested I help them. I just really want to make a difference and help people.”
Shrimplin added that the other two students helped with a flyer for the September drive and that she also had the assistance of a student last year.
“This mentor program (at River View) is wonderful,” Shrimplin said. “It’s really allowed the clothing drive to grow a lot. I can do more with the extra help. Before it was just my husband and I and relatives who helped when they could. This has made it a lot easier.”
One hundred and seventy people attended the last clothing drive in March and Shrimplin is hoping to have at least 200 attend this one.
In addition to the drives, she also tries to help out families in need when she can.
“I think we’ve helped three or four families who had fires and I get contacted from people in situations like a grandmother who just got custody of her grandkids and needed school clothes,” Shrimplin said. “I’ve also gotten contacted by people after yard sales and asked if I want their leftovers. Word has really spread.”
After the September clothing drive, she plans to start accepting donations again. Anyone wanting more information is welcome to e-mail Shrimplin at jodiragan02@gmail.com.
Category: People & Places
