Submitted by Orcas Christian School.

Orcas Christian School has a long tradition of serving the community through various projects. This weekend, the school is gearing up for its annual Clothing Bank, a free clothing drive supporting islanders for 30 years. It was first held at the Odd Fellows Hall in 1994 before moving to the OCS gym.

This year’s Clothing Bank, which will feature men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, bedding and accessories, will be held on Oct. 25 from 2 to 5 p.m. and on Oct. 27 from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Since the founding of OCS, this [the Clothing Bank] has been a great opportunity for students to serve our community. We enjoy this event’s community connectedness,” said OCS Principal Terry Pottle.

In supporting the Clothing Bank each fall, OCS gives up using the gym to provide a space for the event. Staff and students assist by setting up tables, collecting clothing, and transporting items to the gym for setup. Many older students also help with sorting and folding.

Facilitating community connectedness is one of our top vision goals at Orcas Christian School. Any opportunity to come into close contact with island folks is a great thing for me and the students. Learning and understanding the organic network of island relationships is important to island life and beneficial to all of us. This kind of learning experience makes events like the Clothing Bank beloved and special to all, including teachers,” said teacher Andy Rivera.

After the Clothing Bank concludes, students and staff help clean up and transport leftover clothes off the island to other organizations for donation.

“Helping at the clothing bank is a great experience. I get to sort clothes and help people find what they need. It feels nice to give back to the community and see smiles on people’s faces when they find something they like,” said OCS Junior Maria Burns.

For more information on the Clothing Bank and Orcas Christian School, call 360-376-6683 or visit oics.org.