St. Luke’s Clothing Rack Expands Reach as Community Need Grows

by Julie Cordingley

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday….

So? What is special about the middle of the week? It is the day that St. Luke’s Evangelical Lutheran Church on Wilson Road in Gilbertsville opens its doors to anyone seeking help for clothing.   

With the exception of the first Wednesday, the unassuming sounding Community Clothing Rack is open from 1:00 – 4:00 PM on the 2nd ,3rd, and 4th Wednesday of each month. No cost; no requirement…just clothes and friendly faces. “We wish more people knew about us because that’s why we are here. We love helping people,” exclaimed long-time volunteer Carolyn Loughery. A nearby shopper, who overheard Loughery, whole-heartedly agreed! 

It's hard to imagine that word has not gotten around about The Community Clothing Rack because it has been a fixture in the neighborhood for 50 years. The vision of a needs-based clothing center can be traced back and attributed to church member and founder Nancy Evans, with the unwavering help in its earliest days from the Shalaway Family. What started out as one stand- alone trailer in the church’s parking lot, has morphed into many organized rooms, located in the church’s lower level that can accommodate the incredibly generous community donations. 

There is no one person in charge but rather a group of volunteers, many intergenerational (moms who brought daughters!) that found their niche...whether  it is greeting shoppers at the door, or separating wire hangars from the preferred plastic ones, or the creation and organization of a Kids Korner, complete with colorful signs (thank you Emily Geiger!)  

The all-volunteer staff has learned a few things to maximize its outreach during their long tenure . If they have an overabundance, the church seeks out (or is sought out!) by programs to distribute much needed items. Each organization receives items specific to its case, whether it be scrubs to nurses in Reading, prom dresses to Boyertown and Oley High Schools, professional wear to PA Workwear, or baby and maternity clothes to Birthright in Birdsboro. And there are always the everyday clothes that may be distributed to the Family Shelter of Salvation Army in Pottstown, Opportunity House in Reading, Multi Service in Boyertown, Just Between Friends, or Liberty Thrift…. The list goes on and on. It is apparent that there is a mutual cooperation between many, many area organizations that are trying to address the same shortages.  

Volunteer Sandi Quicksill stopped mid sorting to explain that unsurprisingly, there has been an uptick in need. “It is a cross section of economics because the need has increased. I cannot point out a particular time of year when there is an obvious spike because each week and even month is unpredictable. We are just very thankful to St. Luke’s that allow us to do this.” Looking around at the different racks, Quicksill takes it all in. “They have been very generous with this space.”

So, keep those Wednesdays in mind. Oops…there is that ONE Thursday for anyone who can’t make the afternoon hours. That happens the third Thursday of the month from 6-8 PM!  

It has been over 40 years since a chemist job in Malvern lured Julie Cordingley away from her up state, New York home. She is a proud resident of Gilbertsville! Besides working in industry, at various times she has been a stay-at-home mom, and has just recently retired from Phoenixville Area School District as a (wait for it!) chemistry teacher. It has been a life-long dream to be a writer. She figures she can work at that craft while also traveling with her husband in their drivable RV… a retirement present to herself!

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