BRISTOL — I remember being arm-deep in garden soil with my classmates during a warm spring day at Vergennes Union High School’s Walden Project and getting covered in dirt.
I remember working with community members around the state to support VUHS’s Peace One Day celebration and its first ever climate action-themed event.
I remember taking action for climate justice on the Vergennes Green and being met by people whom I had never seen, and who supported our efforts nonetheless.
I remember a feeling of connection in those times, and gratitude for the togetherness of my neighbors.
These experiences have brought me to the realization that the way I want to support a green future and a safe future is to engage with my community, and others at large, to lift up our families in these difficult times and bring together what we are familiar with, and have lost along the way, buried deep in Vermont soil.
Last winter my friend Rory Patch and I started the Green Team, an environmental club at VUHS. As this winter started to roll past we wanted to work on something larger, that could bring community members in. We thought up the idea of running a clothing swap event. Soon after this idea arose, Rosemary Thurber, a student from Mount Abraham Union High School’s Environmental Action Group (EAG), contacted the Green Team about discussing a similar event at their school and suggested doing a clothing swap that combined all three county high school environmental groups — the Green Team, EAG and Middlebury Union High School’s Biome.
We immediately accepted and began to plan with the partnering groups.
The clothing swap will bring an opportunity to break the binds of traditional clothing consumption and allow an inexpensive wardrobe change.
“Mount Abe EAG is thrilled to collaborate with Vergennes and Middlebury environmental groups to enrich our Addison County community,” Thurber said. “We hope our clothing swap will help to broaden the traditional cycle of clothing consumption and disposal by giving new life to used clothes.”
Once again community has come together to create opportunities for a green future, and a bright future.
This event will be held at Mount Abe on Saturday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We will have a range of clothing options to browse, including prom attire, jewelry and gently used clothes for all ages. We will have mirrors available and dressing rooms to try on anything that catches your eye.
Please donate clean and gently used clothes for all ages, including used prom dresses and tuxedos.
There is a drop-off location in each partnering town.
In Bristol donations can be brought to Mount Abe on March 7, 14 and 20 — or the morning of the swap on March 21.
The Vergennes drop-off will be located in the front lobby of VUHS anytime the school is open. Please leave donations in the bin marked “Clothing Swap Donations.”
Middlebury drop-off will be located at MUHS in the main office anytime the school is open.
If you do not drop off clothes, there is a suggested donation for a bag of clothes ($5) and for prom attire ($20).
All donations will help support the work of the high school environmental clubs. All the clothes swapped will be a great way to start acting to save the environment.
Hope to see you there!
Marlie Hunt lives in Addison and is a senior at Vergennes Union High School.