Alyssa VanPelt-Cathcart, Staff Writer
The winter will not slow down, especially after Punxsutawney Phil’s announcement of six more weeks of winter. If readers are in need of more winter clothing, or trying to get ahead with their spring apparel, our school’s Red Closet Thrift Store thrift store would be an excellent option to restock.
The Office of Sustainability at SUNY Oneonta reopened their Red Closet Thrift Store this past fall, following the renovation of the new Living Room and Starbucks in Hunt Union. Following their successful launch, the thrift store has drawn in a fairly good crowd of shoppers. When purchasing, it is a cash only payment style. However, it is pay-what-you-wish as the store is non-profit. But their store does have a recommended pricing guide at their register: pants for $4 dollars, shirts for $2 dollars, furniture for $10 dollars, and scented decor for $5 dollars.
Additionally, proceeds go to a Sustainability scholarship that students at SUNY Oneonta can apply to. All their clothing is gathered through donations from both on campus and off campus. Their donation days for this semester are the first Tuesday of every month with the next donation day being in March.
Their work extends outside of their thrift store to include a Green Dragon Recognition Program, sustainability courses, working with the local farmers market, and hosting trips out of the area that focus on sustainability.
The Red Closet Thrift Store employs interns through the Office of Sustainability. Some of which include Brittney Rhodes, Rudy Hess, Haylee Shapiro, Zoe Rex, Patrick Sullivan, Emely Lopez, and Gillian Reimer. Among their interns, Rhodes, Reimer, Shapiro, Lopez, and Hess are all Empire State Service Corp Recipients.
At the Oneonta Farmers Market, the organization will hand out vouchers to use at the vendors in which the vendors can redeem themselves in return. Their next event at the farmers market will be this April. Students can get involved in donations, purchases, events, or to be an intern can check out their Instagram, the CORQ app, or contact the Office of Sustainability directly.
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