April 24, 2008

Shop rags available at Lind Thrift Store

Journal photo by Jennifer Larsen

Recycling. Stephanie Lyle (left) is ready with another shop rag to trim as Ren Ritz helps Scott Wahl and Janine Boggs (right) cut more rags at the Lind Thrift Store last Thursday. The rags are made from torn or stained clothing the store has received through donations and are available for purchase.

Adams County Center for Developmental Disabilities clients have embarked on a new endeavor that benefits the public while recycling clothing items that are not fit for resale.

Clients have spent several hours in the last couple weeks cutting apart torn or stained clothing that has been donated to the center to make shop rags.

At the same time, clients are exposed to musical masters such as Ludwig van Beethoven, George Gershwin and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

With music playing in the background, clients use a 13x15-inch piece of wood crafted by Ren Ritz, Lind Thrift Store manager and vocational specialist instructor, to cut the clothing into rags. They then bundle a dozen rags and sell each bunch for $1 plus tax.

Each bundle contains a variety of white and colored fabrics. Knits, cotton blends, sweatshirt material and even double knits offer a wide range of uses.

“We provide meaningful employment for our clients by creating opportunities for these people with developmental disabilities to lead a more productive life and to give them a better sense of fulfillment by being gainfully employed,” Ritz wrote in a letter distributed to area citizens in Lind and Ritzville.

To purchase a bundle or two of shop rags, visit the Lind Thrift Store at 119 North I Street in Lind. For more information, contact the store at 677-3260.