By Susan Dromey Heeter, Joyful Musings
This week I muse joyfully on the SWAP – the exchange of goods, the trading of items, the SWAPPING of stuff. Last Saturday I attended Portsmouth Library’s annual SWAP – it was a literal celebration of trading, of donating, of honoring the recycle, the re-wear.
Courtesy
Is that Sir Luc with Susan Dromey Heeter?
People, primarily women, brought in loads of clothing they no longer wore or fit in to (I brought a pair of jeans that have not fit since Reagan was in office) and then clothing, shoes and accessories were offered to any and everyone.
People came with goodies, left with goodies and not one cent was exchanged. Bliss.
Susan Dromey Heeter photo
Oh ya got to have shoes.
Someone brought a Scottish tam to the SWAP. I found it delightful and wore it to the amusement of my friend, Anne. There were lovely Birkenstocks someone had obviously decided against and Anne brought in a silk dress she remarked, “I have no business ever wearing.”
A couple of teenagers remarked, “We LOVE this and come every year.” They are my heroes.
Dover High School’s Earth Action Group is holding their own SWAP this Friday, May 25 at the high school. From 5 – 7 p.m. you are invited to bring a bag of gently, clean used clothes, accessories, shoes. And from 5 – 7, you can see what someone else has brought.
A SWAP. No money exchanges hands, there is no fund raising, a SWAP is a simple way to streamline your wardrobe, help the environment and perhaps share your fabulous wardrobe with someone else.
5 – 7 Friday. Streamline your stuff. Clean out your closet. Come to the SWAP at Dover High School. Take something, leave something, thrill in the joy of the SWAP. Susan Dromey Heeter, a writer from Dover who recently let her hair go au natural white, debuts her new column “Joyful Musings” at InDepthNH.org. Dromey Heeter is a secondary Spanish Teacher at Dover High School and the mother of two teenage daughters. Writing has been her passion since her English majoring days at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Dromey Heeter has lived in The Netherlands, Alaska and currently basks in all things New England, including the frigid winters. An avid swimmer, Dromey Heeter’s great passion is to bring back body surfing as most children have no idea how to ride waves without ridiculous boogie boards. She also writes about thrift shopping and all things frugal in a column called “Budget Vogue” for the New Hampshire Union Leader.