T

he storage containers are filling up quickly and members of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, who are sorting items for the group’s first free clothing swap of the year, are moving as fast as they can.

The first “Great Oak Harbor Giveaway Day” of 2012 will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 24 at the VFW Post on Goldie Road in Oak Harbor.

“It’s amazing,” said Ladies Auxiliary president Joanne McDaniel. “One of the PODS is almost brim full. We had a work party (Sunday) and we’ve got one whole wall and a corner of our meeting room that’s full.”

The Ladies Auxiliary holds the free clothing swap twice a year. Donations of clothing, bedding, shoes and small kitchen and household items are collected throughout the year, then sorted and set out for people to take. Anyone interested can shop for new-to-them items, regardless of whether they have donated items.

“We’d prefer clean, recently laundered items,” McDaniel said. “And we’re trying not to get anything too large.”

Donations will be accepted at the post up to and during the swap and no money will be exchanged. The Junior Girls Auxiliary will be selling soup and snacks to raise money for their group, but there is no cost to participate in the swap.

McDaniel said they expect a sizable crowd will take advantage of the savings.

“I think a lot of people have realized that it’s good quality items and it’s just a really good savings for their family,” she said.

Sometimes, McDaniel said, people who come to the clothing swap wind up getting help from the VFW’s service officers as well. She described how one woman came to the last swap with her six children, and mentioned her husband was having a tough time getting his benefits through the Veterans Administration. Service officers were there, as they are every Saturday morning, so the woman went home, got her husband the service officers were able to help him.

“We try to make people aware of what’s available in the way of benefits through the service officers at the post,” McDaniel said, adding that this time auxiliary members will also be handing out other safety and health information.

“I plan to have some handouts on safety tips for school children, child identification kits and other things, like flag etiquette and some shower hangers for women about breast self-exams.”

Children are also encouraged to bring a book to trade.

Those interested in donating clean, usable items or those wishing to volunteer may call 675-2338 for information.