Abby Hertner, a 2023 Battle Ground High School [BGHS] grad, partnered with the Vancouver Mall Maurices store, where she’s an assistant manager, to donate an estimated 500 clothing items to the BGHS thrift store and Battle Ground Public Schools Family and Community Resource Center.
When Maurices discontinued a run of clothing items, instead of shipping off the clothing and accessories, Hertner, a current Washington State University Vancouver sophomore, proposed donating the items to the thrift store. Her store manager and Maurices’ corporate offices approved donating around 500 items of clothing, jewelry, hats, scarves and shoes.
Often, when Maurices donates items, a full explanation of where and why is provided, but originally Hertner said she was unable to tell customers, but now she can.
“It feels awesome because a lot of the other donations that we do, like for breast cancer and the military and other things, they always give out a whole explanation of where it’s going and what it’s for, so we can explain it to other customers,” she said, adding that when could, she told customers and built a connection. “And I was like, ‘Hey, well, it’s going to a good cause. It’s going to this,’ and they were like, ‘Hey, I had kids go through Battle Ground.’ So, I was able to connect with other people on that, as well. So it felt really good.”
Since it opened in May of the last school year, the thrift store has been popular among students as “thrifting” grows with the younger generation. The store offers every item for just a dollar or some buy two-for-$1 deals. As the Maurices items hit the shelves, both staff and students alike have been eager to purchase the items.
“The day after it came out in the bulletin, we had staff and students coming in like, ‘Where’s the Maurices stuff?’ ” Battle Ground High School counselor Nick Santilli said. “Now we’re pulling stuff that was on the racks and pushing that. This has a lot more excitement.”
Santilli pitched the thrift store idea to other staff members at the high school two school years ago. The idea led to a collaborative effort with general and special education staff and students, who develop different life skills at the thrift store, such as doing laundry and folding clothes, sorting and helping to operate a cash register. The store brings students from all parts of the campus together with community service opportunities, as well.
Santilli said the thrift store has continued to grow this school year.
“It’s just slowly started to grow, and kids are talking about it, and one of the journalism students wrote about it last year. So I think it’s just the word getting out, and it’s fun seeing students come in there and get a pair of shoes [or other clothing items] that they’ve been looking for,” he said.
Hertner added that Maurices has a jeans exchange program, the Fit Freedom Jeans Exchange, which may help schools receive more donations.
“If someone goes up a size, down a size, let’s say they come in and grab a pair of size 12 jeans and they come back and they’re like, ‘I’m having a baby. I am growing, and now I need a size 16, is there any way that I can come in and get a different size,’ they go grab the new size, we punch it in and do the exchange for it,” Hertner said. “They get the new one for free, and then I can take the jeans and take them to a local place.”
She said the only requirement for the exchange is the jeans had to be purchased from Maurices within a year, and a receipt is required for purchases made after six months.
Santilli said in a previous article by the Reflector that customers include thrift store fans, along with students who may only be able to afford $1 items or who may not be able to afford them at all, which is why the thrift store accepts monetary donations from the community. Santilli said he is working to help students who can’t afford the items on a case-by-case basis.
Currently, cash donations and gently used clothing, shoes, accessories and more without any rips, tears or stains can be donated before school on late-start Wednesdays at the main office. The thrift store does not accept used undergarments or socks. Main office hours are 7:15 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., but Santilli said donations are encouraged on Wednesday mornings prior to 8:55 a.m., when classes begin.
Outside of Battle Ground High School, the Battle Ground Public Schools district offers the Family and Community Resource Center, which provides clothing and further support for students and families districtwide. Call the resource center at 360-885-5434, or email fcrc@battlegroundps.org for more information.
