Clothes cover the plastic folding tables in First United Methodist Church's basement; they bulge out of garbage bags and spill over the top of reusable ones as they wait to be folded and hung. This organized chaos is typical on Monday mornings, aka sorting day.  

At the beginning of every week, Betsy Dunton, Betty Lou Townsend and Donna Jones refresh the church’s free clothing closet. This means switching out the out-of-season items, namely winter jackets as the weather has finally warmed, and re-donating them to the Salvation Army. The trio also must parse through all the clothes left in the donation bin. 

There’s a fair share of “oohing and aahing," mixed with the sounds of tags being ripped off brand new items. It’s spring cleaning time, which means more to organize. According to Dunton, the drop-offs from the region’s large tourist and retiree population usually keep them busy. 

The closet began in 2010 as part of the Community Resource Council under the guidance of Helen Meserve, but eventually moved to the Methodist Church, where Judy Muller and her husband, Ward, oversaw it. The closet sets itself apart from other thrift options as its contents are completely free. “(This) makes us absolutely available to anybody, no matter what their circumstances are,” explained Dunton.

Townsend added, even though thrift shops are cheaper than retail, they can still be a barrier to some.  

“I am so proud to say this town takes care of its people. We have food, we have clothing, we meet the basic needs,” said Dunton.  

The closet is at 87 Townsend Ave., and is open Wednesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4. p.m. Donations can be left in the large red bin. No underwear, soiled/damaged clothing, or out-of-season items. Children’s clothing is appreciated.