Top of Utah residents excited about clothing swap

OGDEN -- It wasn't hard to tell what Martha Trease thought about the opportunity to trade her old clothes for some gently used outfits.

The Ogden woman fought back tears Saturday as she chose some items for herself at the Northern Utah Clothes Swap hosted by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ogden.

"Everyone's going through hard times," she said.

"Even if you go shopping at D.I. or Savers, it still costs money. Everyone has clothes that they are not wearing or something."

Trease said the swap was a lifesaver.

Organizers said the first-time activity came about as the result of a brainstorming meeting of a church committee. The group's goal was to come up with an activity that would help those struggling because of the economy.

Dozens of area residents attended.

A few brought boxes stuffed with used clothes and left with as many items they believed would be more useful to them.

"It's a great way to get my daughter thinking that, when she doesn't need something anymore, it can go to someone else," said Katherine Witt, of Ogden, who was one of those stuffing a large garbage bag full of clothes.

Her daughter, 5-year-old McKenna Witt, was excited about her new fashions.

She was carefully folding her finds before handing them over to her mother to be put into the bag.

"So many wonderful clothes," she said.

Church member Cheyenne Herland, of Ogden, brought in two large, plastic tubs of items and left with her containers stuffed with other clothes. Her children were busy throughout the event, helping her fill the tubs with things they wanted.

"I'm an environmental educator at Ogden Nature Center," she said. "Reusing is better than recycling. It's better for the planet."

She said looking at the volume of clothes in the room as piles got higher and higher was educational for her.

"I think in our community, we have a lot more abundance than we think we have," she said.

Samantha McCraw, of Ogden, enjoyed the event and found it helpful, but she admitted it was tough to get used to.

"It's kind of funny not to take your own stuff back home," she said.

Her husband, William McCraw, said with costs for essential items, such as fuel, rising faster than wages, he believes the swap is just one more way people will have to adjust to their new realities.

"In today's economy, it's what you have to do."

Trease said she believed many could benefit from the free swap.

"When you have four or so kids, it's kind of hard to keep them in clothes," she said.

Although not a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church, Trease said she spread the word about the community event as best she could.

"I told a lot of people and passed out fliers," she said. "One gal I told, she told more people and passed out fliers. When she ran out, she ran off more fliers."

Church members are planning to try the activity again in January, this time with professional clothing items.

In the spring, they expect to do it again so that people can trade summer clothing items.

"You go to a thrift store and you pay," said Anne Spatola, one of the event organizers. "It's not cheap."

Spatola moved to Ogden from California a few years ago when her life partner, Theresa Novak, was hired as the minister at the church.

Spatola said she found Ogden fit into her budget better than where she lived before.

"Even though it's so much cheaper to live here, it's relative to what you have coming in," she said of those who were in need of items at the swap.

But she believed the activity gave those who were struggling a chance to help themselves.

"If you have kids growing, you have something to give and take," she said.

A number of people brought donations but did not take any items in return.

Leftover donations were taken to Your Community Connection, a nonprofit organization in Ogden that assists at-risk families.