Thrift-a-Palooza returned once again for the second year in a row thanks to the efforts of both buildOn and Players. Thrift-a-Palooza is a creative take on thrifting, where LM students are encouraged to both donate and buy clothes, books, and “knick-knacks.” Thrift-a-Palooza, which was held from April 10 to 12, was an enjoyable experience for many.
Charlie Kurland ’24, a buildOn officer, explained the thought process that led to the eventual creation of Thrift-a-Palooza: “We wanted to do a clothing drive, but we didn’t just want to collect people’s clothes. We wanted to make it an activity through which we could also raise money.” The proceeds that were collected from the event will be split evenly between buildOn and Players.
Players will donate their share of the money to the Trevor Project. The Trevor Project, founded in 1998, is a hotline that focuses on suicide prevention among the LGBTQ community. LGBTQ youth have a significantly higher chance of experiencing issues with their mental health. It has been found that those numbers significantly decrease when they are offered support, which is what makes it so important that resources like the Trevor Project are kept alive and functioning. buildOn will be using their portion of the fundraised money for Trek, a yearly opportunity for volunteers to travel to another location such as Haiti, Nepal, or Malawi and help build schools alongside the local communities.
A lot of planning went into organizing this event. The name alone was designed to be a play on words, taking inspiration from the Chicago music festival Lollapalooza, in an attempt to enhance a feeling of familiarity to students. Clothing collection began the week prior, and donations had to be sorted before they could be placed on sale. This theme was also present in the actual implementation of the event with its open air concept and a playful pop playlist in the background to set the mood.
Last year’s Thrift-a-Palooza was generally regarded as a major success for both Players and buildOn, and it’s no surprise the amount of effort that was put into this year’s event. This year’s event, though, seemed to run out of stock quicker than expected, making calls over the daily announcement for more student donations.
Items prices did not exceed the sum of 5 dollars, and, on the final day, all remaining items were reduced to one dollar. When students exited out into the courtyard, they found a large central clothing rack, surrounded by tables containing other “knick knacks” and articles of clothes.
Cid Miller ‘24 commented positively on the event, “I was able to find some really nice clothing.” Many students described this event as a chance to expand their current fashion horizons, as they were exposed to clothing styles that they might not typically wear.
Audrey Gardner ‘26 commented on some peoples’ lack of care when handling the merchandise, “Some boys tried on clothes that were obviously not their size and ripped the seams.” Actions such as these, not only ruin the experience, but also prevent items from being sold and therefore lose money that would’ve been used to support the event’s important causes.
Hopefully, Thrift-a-Palooza will continue to be held for years to come, supporting important causes, and bringing a fantastic opportunity to LM students.
