- The ASB thrift store from ASB Community Link returned after a one-year hiatus and was open from Nov. 12 to Nov. 14.
- Student donors and shoppers could enter a prize drawing, which was an initiative from CLink to encourage community participation for the event; the winner received a LEGO prize.
- Funds raised will go toward charities such as WE, thrift stores such as Goodwill and future ASB projects.
Combing through racks of fabric, students search through a menagerie of spirit wear and vintage clothes to find their next perfect outfit. After a year-long hiatus, ASB Community Link brought the thrift store back to campus this school year. The store opened for the first time this year on Nov. 12 during lunch, lasting until Nov. 14 with added popup hours from 3:15 to 5 p.m. Students could donate their clothes at both the store and at bins which were available across campus.
“The thrift store felt really unique compared to a lot of the other events we do,” senior and CLink commissioner Ashwath Anoop said. “Most of our events focus on school spirit through sports or art, and we wanted to bring something back that stood out and wasn’t like what we normally do.”
CLink’s idea to open a thrift store initially came in the 2023-24 school year, but an attempt to open it the following year failed to happen due to a lack of donations. Hoping to revamp the idea this year, commissioners started planning the thrift store’s launch as early as the ASB Bootcamp in August, where they brainstormed and discussed fundraising, dates and advertisement plans. The project was led by juniors and CLink commissioners Niharika Ramnatham and Maddy Chang.
“We wanted to reflect on what worked and what didn’t work from the last thrift store,” Ramanathan said. “We wanted to make an incentive for people to donate, to draw more people to the store.”
To ensure a successful launch, organizers promoted the event extensively. They used creative ways to gather donations and market the thrift store’s release, such as having student models walk around the quad with donated clothes and giving the first 20 donors free tote bags.
“There weren’t so many people on the first day of the thrift store,” junior and ASB Spirit commissioner Rohin Saharoy said. “So we thought it’d be a good idea to buy a small women’s top, which I wore around campus, to help advertise that the store was open.”
The thrift store included racks of used Homecoming costumes donated from the Conservation Action Association, as well as other lightly-used clothing donated by students. Those who donated clothing could also enter in a raffle, which gave them an opportunity to win prizes. The raffle took place at the final popup on Nov. 14. The two winners took home LEGO sets.
“We introduced the prize drawing,” junior and CLink commissioner Ojas Kothari said. “We moved some donation bins into the office and Mrs. Lawrence’s office, instead of keeping them in the ASB den. We also worked with clubs for the first time. I feel like each of these small changes made this year’s event better.”
Through CLink’s organization and numerous community efforts to support the store, over 117 donations were tallied. The majority of the store’s proceeds will be given to the WE Charity, an organization that provides access to clean water, healthcare, food and educational opportunities to youth across the world.
CLink members found the experience deeply rewarding and enjoyable, teaching them about the importance of sustainability while also making change in the community.
“I really liked appealing to people’s interests,” Ramanatham said. “I know a lot of people here at Lynbrook are interested in shopping and thrifting, so I loved how the event could cater to Lynbrook’s interests.”
