The choir program ran a clothing drive fundraiser through Clothes for the Cause from Oct. 8 to 12, collecting 11,446 pounds of clothes and raising $2289.20 for travel, uniforms, festivals and more.
On Oct. 12, the community collection day, people living in the Liberty attendance area brought in old clothing and textiles, and representatives from Clothes for the Cause came with a truck to weigh and load the donations. The choir received 20 cents for every pound of clothing. By the end of the day, they had collected 9,746 pounds, just short of their 10,000 pound goal, but the choir was able to extend the fundraiser a few days and easily blow past the 11,000 pound mark.
“I was surprised we were able to collect so many bags,” sophomore Tyra Christopherson said. “I think everyone really stepped up to accomplish the goal.”
During much of the drive, the orchestra pit and adjacent hallways were overflowing with bags of clothes, thanks to the work of the Liberty Singers and the many donations from Liberty supporters.
“I really was appreciative of our community support,” Choir Director Robin Wood said. “Now it’s up to us to make it worth everyone’s while by creating beautiful concerts and scoring off the charts when we travel and compete in our festivals!”
Some of the top contributors to the fundraiser were sophomore Erika Kahler at 75 bags of clothing, junior Jeffrey Hoffman at 47 bags, and junior Jenny Wood at 39 bags. Of course, this would not have been possible without the generous contributions from Liberty parents and neighbors.
“I was so impressed at how the choir and everyone in the community were able to come together to not only help the choir succeed, but to help a good cause, too,” Liberty Singer Sara Flash said.
Wood was very pleased with the outcome of the fundraiser, considering it an all-around positive experience. She has already started planning another clothing drive for next October.
“It is a win-win for the community, as we are providing a service to our households when we agree to take their unusable clothing and textiles,” Wood said. “It is a win-win for the environment, as we are making sure that thousands of pounds of clothing and textiles stay out of the landfills and are repurposed, recycled, or reused.”