(Vail)-The Vail Recreation District’s (VRD) Youth Services Department will offer families an opportunity to trade winter clothing with other families in the Vail Valley during the VRD’s first-ever Outerwear Exchange taking place at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16 at Red Sandstone Elementary School gymnasium. The Exchange will allow families to trade for larger sized items such as winter boots, coats, pants and fleece.
According to VRD Youth Services Director Chad Young, the idea to host the Exchange came about from a discussion with parents. Young says if this Exchange is a success, it will become an annual event to help families prepare for winter. “We invest in high-quality gear because our life-style revolves around the outdoors and it’s important to keep our children warm and dry,” said Young. “Many of these items are still in good condition after a child outgrows them. We hope this event will build our sense of community and offer parents a way to get much needed items affordably.”
Costs will be $10 per participant, with $5 supporting VRD Youth Services programming and $5 contributed to a fund to compensate families for an unmet need. “For example, an infant receives a coat from a now two-year-old, the two-year-old receives a three-year-old’s old coat and so on,” said Young. “The VRD would like to have money available so a parent with a 12-year-old with no available coat can receive money to go buy one.”
The VRD will accept donations of clothing prior to and during the exchange and items should be in good condition and clean. Items not traded and left will be donated to a local charity in need of the items.
For more information, contact Young at 970-479-2292 or e-mail him at cyoung@vailrec.com.
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