Fashion Show Celebrates Free Shop’s 50 Years At Orleans Church

ORLEANS – When the “free shop” at Church of the Holy Spirit first opened in 1973, there was discussion about selling clothing and other goods at a low price. Ultimately, however, parishioners decided against it.

“It was an unconventional thing at the time to say ‘No, everything is going to be free,’” said Rev. Patrick Ward, who has been the church’s rector since November 2022. “But they have stuck to that. They sort of rejected the traditional church thrift shop model in favor of just an open exchange where people can come in and take what they need.”

And that’s the way the shop has operated since. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, volunteers open up the basement of the parish hall for the public to peruse and find what they need, from shirts, pants and shoes for men, women and children to other goods such as linens. And while the shop operates off of donations, you might not believe it based on the kind of stuff the shop brings in.

“The quality of the clothing is quite good,” Ward said. “It’s good stuff that people bring in. It’s not as if people are looking to discard or throw things away. They sort of look in their closets and say ‘This is in good shape, but I don’t wear it anymore.’ A lot of the stuff looks new.”

For Sharyn Laughton and Suzy Gray, who together manage the free shop with the help of about 20 volunteers, the shop’s 50th anniversary was a milestone worth celebrating. So on Dec. 10, a fashion show and lunch was held at the church, where men, women and children alike took turns showing off the various items that can be found in the shop.

“We called it the Free Shop 2024 collection,” Ward said.

“Oh my gosh, it was so wonderful,” said Gray. “[Patrick] was the perfect emcee. It was great.”

With a crew of volunteers eager to model the shop’s wares, Laughton and Gray gathered together the clothes and prepared a list of what each person wanted to fashion. Some got festive and donned holiday attire. Even Ginny Lucil, one of the free shop’s founders, got in on the fun.

“She was just hysterical,” Gray said. “She hammed it up. She had this new bag on from the free shop and this Harris tweed jacket, and she looked like a million bucks.”

The event was the first of its kind held by the church, but Ward said there’s already been talk of bringing it back again next year. The show was a way of further getting the word out about the shop, which has never struggled to bring in clothes for those who might need it.

“It’s very consistent,” Ward said of the donations that come in. “There are people who have been clients of the free shop who come back and bring things. In a way, it’s a bit of an extended barter community.”

The church also coordinates with school nurses at Nauset Regional Middle School and Nauset Regional High School to provide clothes for students as needed, said Gray, who helps gather and provide coats, sweatshirts and other items for the schools. They also use monetary donations to purchase new socks, underwear and water bottles.

“We deliver what they need,” she said. “They give us a list. Usually it’s sweatpants, sweatshirts, things that are kind of co-ed for everyone.”

Donations are so consistent that the shop continues to provide for those in need, even as the demand continues to rise. Ward said whereas the shop used to accommodate about 10 people a day, that number is closer to 35 now.

“Occasionally we’ll get a little thin and then ‘Boom.’ They’ll bring a lot. Someone will bring three black garbage bags full of things.”

But beyond helping promote the free shop locally, Ward said the fashion show offered parishioners and residents an opportunity to have fun and enjoy themselves in the weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday.

“This is a parish that really likes to laugh and have a good time,” he said. “It was really kind of uproarious. People really got into it.”

Email Ryan Bray at ryan@capecodchronicle.com