Costume lending library set to help out families

United Way Glenelg is excited to announce a new initiative: a Costume Lending Library for families to access in time for book week, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the characters and stories they love.

United Way Glenelg executive officer Nicole Carr said unfortunately, many children miss out on the opportunity to participate in book week events and other events due to a lack of resources, including costumes. “The costumes will be accessible to all families in the community, regardless of financial resources, as we aim to eliminate the embarrassment that some children may feel about not having a costume and ensure that all children have the opportunity to participate in book week events,” Ms Carr said.

In collaboration with student from Portland Bay School, United Way Glenelg has successfully acquired a collection of topnotch, long-lasting costumes and accessories, made possible through a partnership with Portland Aluminium.

“We saw this as an excellent chance for students to actively participate in the costume selection process,” Ms Carr said.

“They made thoughtful choices with a budget of $1500, ensuring the items would appeal to a wide range of individuals.”

A total of more than 50 items have been procured, including complete outfits as well as complementary accessories that add the perfect finishing touch to a costume.

The students engaged in an exciting ‘unboxing’ experience with the costumes, a trend that gained popularity on social media a few years ago.

“The students had the wonderful opportunity to witness the costumes they had chosen online and see them in person, gaining a true representation of their appearance and quality,” Ms Carr said.

The Costume Lending Library will be housed at Glenelg Libraries. The costumes will be shared at each Glenelg Library location, reaching rural remote children through the Heywood and Casterton locations. Upon the costumes return, Portland Bay School will take charge of laundering, ensuring their cleanliness and readiness for future loans.

“We will promote the library to schools through welfare coordinators and other relevant channels such as media releases, radio advertising and social media posts,” Ms Carr said. “This initiative will bring the community together by encouraging children to participate in book week events.

We believe that this project has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of children and families in our community, especially those who may have previously felt excluded.” Starting from early August, the Costume Lending Library will be open to all residents who are library members, providing them with the opportunity to borrow costumes.