Concordia holds successful clothing drive

Six thousand pounds. That was the weight of the donations collected by Concordia University, Nebraska throughout the Seward community in its “One Shirt Collegiate National Clothing Drive.” More than 140 colleges across the country participated in the event. Concordia was the lone school from Nebraska to do so.

Dr. Kathy Miller, associate professor of sociology, senior Rachel Masters and junior Sara Retzlaff spearheaded the drive. "Gently-used clothing," shoes and accessories were targeted for collection. 

Students in Miller’s social problems class and other student volunteers collected clothing at homes in the community.  In addition, St. John Lutheran Church and School, Seward Middle School, Living Word Lutheran Church, Faith Lutheran Church, The Rock and St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, all in Seward, Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Goehner and Messiah Lutheran Church in Lincoln all were community drop-off sites.  The clothing collected in Seward County was donated to the Goodwill.  Donations made at Messiah Lutheran were donated to Peoples City Mission.

“I was really pleased not just with the turnout of clothes, but how the community responded,” Miller said. “The churches were wonderful and community people were helpful with donating clothes and with advertising the event. I think supporting each other is what this is really about and what was most evident to me in the response we got.”