Dance Marathon club held their annual thrift store fundraiser Dec. 4 through 6 in the student commons. The event included clothes and shoes donated by students and community members to raise funds for their beneficiary, the Chicago Refugee Coalition.

Within the store, there were several sections to check out: Niles West merchandise, T-shirts, pants, shoes and crocheted items made by Crochet club. The prices of $5-$15 were based on taking the original costs and making them more affordable for students. In total, the event took three weeks to set up as organizers received and sorted through donations while also running the store and collecting money.

“For the fundraiser, all the Dance Marathon committees worked together to ensure it would be a success. Whether it be promoting the thrift store on Instagram or organizing the clothes, we all did our part and I think the event turned out really well,” junior and Dance Marathon executive Orli Eisenberg said.

The store was open from periods 3 to 7 on Dec. 4 and 5 and all day on Dec. 6. Throughout the periods, members of the club took turns working as cashiers and helping students locate items on the tables and racks.

“Helping out the event is something fun to do during our lunch periods and since it’s for a good cause it makes helping [even better],” senior Dance Marathon executive Becca Hamada said.

The assortment of clothes was a wide variety, ranging from name brands, from Nike and Lululemon to sports jerseys and windbreaker jackets. There seemed to be something for everyone, providing both a style upgrade and a way to contribute to charity.

“When I went to the store I wasn’t expecting much but then I was really surprised by the good clothes they had. I got Nike sweatpants for only $10 and in the end, I was glad I came down to the student commons,” junior Arielle Pierre-Louis said.

Over the three days the thrift store was open, nearly $600 was raised. All clothes that did not sell were donated to West Help Others (WHO) Club or the student community closet and the money earned will be donated to the Chicago Refugee Coalition [Chicago Refugee Coalition].

“We are very excited because CRC is planning on opening a first-of-its-kind daycare center to support refugees with childcare, and our money is going to help build that center. We all know how hard it is maintain employment while also caring for children. This daycare will allow parents to work,” Dance Marathon sponsor Dena Lichterman said.