CHIMACUM — They may not be brand-new, and they may not be the latest fashion.
But thousands of items of children’s clothing, including designer labels, will be up for grabs at the third annual Back to School Clothes Swap.
What is new this year during the swap Saturday: elbow room for shoppers.
Elma Beary, who inherited the event from founder Anne Schneider, has moved it from the Tri-Area Community Center to the Chimacum Schools’ elementary multipurpose room, 91 West Valley Road.
The result: rows of long tables of neatly folded sweatshirts; racks of coats and jackets; separate tables for scarves, mittens and hats; and lots of aisle space.
“It will all be laid out according to age group,” Beary said.
People can bring clean, ready-to-wear clothing size 4 to 16 — as well as shoes, backpacks and other items — to the Chimacum Schools’ elementary multipurpose building Thursday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. or Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Coupons for donated items can be redeemed at the swap Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Items can also be brought and traded Saturday.
There also will be a limited number of grade-specific kits of school supplies designated by teachers for $10 each, a project of the school’s Parent-Teacher-Student Association.
There will be something for children to do while parents shop: pick out a free book from the book table.
Beary, a parent and volunteer in the school, buys books at thrift stores to give to students.
She’s also held giveaways at the end of the school year to get rid of the clothing that accumulated in the lost and found.
Among the more unusual items in this year’s sale: a small girl’s hand-embroidered sweater and a black fedora with sequined band, perhaps left over from a dance recital.
Sports shoes with cleats, backpacks, dress shirts, ski jackets and even a Chinese silk jacket are among the items in the sale.
Everything is priced at $1 or one coupon given in exchange for donating an item to the sale.
Lost and found clothing, which was collected at both Chimacum and Grant Street Elementary, has been cleaned and screened by Rosemary Miller.
Anything with a small stain or slight imperfection has been marked and placed on a separate table.
Debbie Bakin picked up items at Grant Street, Beary said, and Linda Pollard transported them to Miller’s house and back to the Chimacum campus.
Bonnie Osmer at the Big Pig Thrift Shop in Port Hadlock donated clothing and loaned racks to display it on.
Susan Jacob, the new owner of Sport Townsend, also loaned racks, Beary said, and Olympic Community Action Programs’ thrift store in Port Hadlock loaned hangers and racks.
As well as sale space, the school provided storage space for the boxes of cleaned clothing, and the school janitors were helpful as usual, Beary said.
She recruited her younger son, Patrick, an incoming senior at Chimacum High School, and his friend, Sean Miskiminsk, to move the boxes out of storage and set up the tables.
The Holtmans of Highway Specialties printed the red and white banner for the entrance to the building.
Clothing not sold will be donated to thrift shops and Working Image’s clothing bank, Beary said, which is expanding into clothes for children.
Volunteers are needed all three days and will be admitted an hour early to shop the sale.
To volunteer, phone Beary at 360-379-6519.
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Jennifer Jackson is a freelance writer and photographer living in Port Townsend.
