Phoenixville FreeCycle Event Opens With Time-Slot Shopping

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Anyone who needs clothes, shoes, kitchen items, books or toys can sign up and come to the FreeCycle shopping event on Monday, Aug. 3. Event organizers say leave your money at home. The outreach of Phoenixville Area School District makes its inventory available at no charge to those in need.

This year's coronavirus circumstances require registration in advance, though. The event happens at the Phoenixville Area Early Learning Center gymnasium, 1 Phantom Way, in Phoenixville.

This is the fifth FreeCycle event for Julie Miller and Kate Camarda, who open shop Aug. 3 with social distancing in place. Miller said, "In a normal year we have well over 100 families shopping, but this year we will have to be very cautious about how many families we are letting in at any given time."

To create that distance, the FreeCycle event planners ask shoppers to register in advance for a time slot, here.

FreeCycle benefits families in the Phoenixville community, said Miller. "We are so happy that we will be able to continue the tradition this year."

Donations come from the school community, including staff members, parents, and students who donate gently used items. "We run the event once every spring but of course it had to be postponed this year because of Covid," said Miller.

In addition to registration, visitors must wears masks and practice social distancing inside the gymnasium.