Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 114, No. 15	April 2, 2008

A grand reopening for Clothes Closet

Photo by Sandra Stone
Let the bargain hunting begin! As soon as the ribbon was cut on the new location of the Meade County Clothes Closet and Food Pantry, shoppers poured in and began browsing the selection of clothes, household goods and other items.

By SANDRA STONE
Messenger Staff

When the doors opened on the Meade County Clothes Closet March 29 at 10 a.m., approximately 30 shoppers were already patiently waiting in the hallway for their opportunity to go bargain-hunting.

The Clothes Closet, which is a ministry of the Meade County Ministerial Association, has been closed since Feb. 5 when its former location sustained devastating tornado damage.

“I was of the thinking the Clothes Closet needed to find a place immediately as people would need their help,” said director Linda Whelan. “So I got in the car and drove around looking for places to rent.”

Whelan liked the location at the Shopping Park Shopping Center (commonly referred to as the Save-A-Lot shopping center), and approached the Clothes Closet board of directors and members of the Meade County Ministerial Association about the property. They then worked with the property owners – Dale Funk, Bill Wilson, David T. Wilson II and Steve Wilson – to arrive at a lease agreement.

“The new place is a little larger than what we’ve had, and it has the biggest work room and food pantry we’ve had,” said Whelan, looking around a room which appears nearly empty. But that will soon change. “Right now it looks big, but it will fill up fast.”

This day was made possible by the labor of many, Whelan said. She is grateful for a core group of volunteers who worked tirelessly to get the new location ready for opening day, and to those who helped salvage the food and clothing from the destroyed location just after the tornado. And the support of this ministry keeps coming. Patteson Memorial Presbyterian Church has donated money and food and has applied for a $10,000 grant through their headquarters.

Rev. Marion Barnes, Rev. Levi Titus and Rev. Dan Paddack, representing the Meade County Ministerial Association, were on hand for the grand reopening. They offered their blessings on the work of the Clothes Closet, and assistant director Karen Harris did the honors of cutting the ribbon to signify its reopening.

The Meade County Clothes Closet and Food Pantry is located between Snap Fitness and the Tobacco Outlet in the Shopping Park Shopping Center at 2320 Bypass Road. Enter through the glass door between these two businesses and go down the hallway to the left. The store is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Donations are accepted behind the building at the second door. For more information, call (270) 422-2010.

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