Clean Out Your Closets for the Hillside Communitywide Swap on Saturday

The always popular Hillside School Communitywide Swap is back again this year and will only be held during the few hours between 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday in the school’s gym, at 54 Orange Road. 

Organizing the event for the 18th time is local resident Jane Marcus. She said that she is preparing for the event this weekend and expects there to be thousands of donations, which will be collected only on Friday between 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. at the school. 

Marcus said the idea began in 2006 with the notion of simply “taking things that people can’t use and giving them to them to people that want them.”

She recalled driving around town and seeing perfectly usable household items laid out on the curb for garbage, and thinking someone in town could probably use them. 

“It’s a win-win situation for everybody,” said Marcus. “The people that are bringing in stuff are so happy to have a place to bring it, and so happy that it is going to somebody else.”

If you are thinking about donating to the swap, here is a list of the accepted items: adult and children’s clothing, books, DVDs, videos, CDs, new and unopened toys, games, puzzles, sports equipment, shoes, cleats, boots, baby gear, and household items. 

The event depends on volunteers helping to organize the donations for Saturday, said Marcus. Anyone interested in volunteering Friday or Saturday can send an email to janeson094@aol.com.