When King Louie America, a longtime clothing manufacturer in Baxter Springs, announced it was shutting its doors and giving away its overstock, Baxter Springs Community Health Worker Trish Monell knew the items could be used to help the people CHC/SEK serves.
What was not taken was going in the trash.
“I was like somebody needs these,” Trish says. “I remember being the child that didn’t have school clothes. Some little kid could use that stuff. Someone at Wesley House can use this stuff. Somebody can use this.”
So, Trish rolled down a few blocks over to King Louie’s and collected hundreds of shirts, jackets, and several yards of fabric.
“We went and just loaded up the cars,” she says, “and one day, I took the van and loaded the van up with clothes.”
Trish, who typically helps with benefits enrollment, took on the task of making blankets using the fabric from the warehouse. She found herself buried under tufts of wool, but it was worth it knowing someone would be a little bit warmer this winter.
