Norwich University hosted the annual Drop and Swap event Oct. 29 and 30 in Plumley Amory.  

The Drop and Swap is where anyone, community members and Norwich students, can drop off clothing they no longer wear, but is still in good condition while picking up new clothing through a one-dollar entrance fee. 

Inherited in 2005 from the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District in Berry Auditorium of Berry, VT when the company was no longer able to keep the program going due to the lack of funding. Many of the old community volunteers who assisted in Berry still comes and volunteers at Norwich, “It is an incredible sight to see community and student volunteers working together” (Kailey Saillor, Student Organization leader of Center of Civic Engagement, Psychology Major, Civilian student) because “there are not so many opportunities to do so.” 

The Center of Civic Engagement not only receives clothes from members of the community on Saturday, October 29 from 10 AM to 4PM, but the clothing left from the Huge Used Garments Swaps (HUGS) that conducts a two-week garment charity session prior to the Norwich event and the Kid Trade and Play program also provides additional clothing.  

Where do the leftover clothes go after the Drop and Swap sale on Sunday October 29th?  

From Norwich University, the clothing is disturbed in thrift stores in Berry, VT for additional opportunities for new usages before traveling to Canada where it is recycled into plastic by the Salvation Army. Not only are the leftover clothing recycled, rag materials such as old, but stained clothing are also welcomed in donation however is requested to be bagged separately to strengthen the quality control of clothing distribution.  

“This is my one and only time to meet them,” says Louise Calderara, a local community member who also used to volunteer for the Drop and Swap event in Berry, VT.  “All my friends have their own lives and job, so this time is our reunion.” For community volunteers, most of the information about the Drop and Swap is heard through word of mouth, social media and/or the Front Poarch Form which is the Vermont local community communication platform. However, every volunteer here represents 2-3 persons of clothing. We allow our volunteers to get first picks before sale day and they are bringing them back home to family and friends.  (Nicole DiDomenico, head of Center of Civic Engagement) 

We host the Drop and Swap every fall and then we have our spring event in the Krietzberg Arena of Norwich University called “Trash To Treasure.” This is where we only collect campus supplies such as used cleaning supplies, fridges, ironing boards etc. during finals and sold during graduation weekend through a tag sale event. There will be a price for each item on the table and will be sold in that sense.