letter shirts at goodwill

Thetagurl · #1 12-22-2002, 09:39 PM

I was out shopping the other day and saw a homeless person on the corner asking for change, anyways to make a long story short he had a fraternity party shirt, that I know was not his. It made me think back a few years when my boyfriend at the time and I were at goodwill to get halloween costumes and came across a basketball jersey with his fraternity letters on it, needless to say he was pissed. We started going through the racks and I found letter shirts as well. For instance there were a ton of current pike letter shirts there that anyone can buy. Have you all ever seen this and to anyone that has sold or given away their sorority/fraternity shirts to goodwill shame on you.

Thetagurl · #2 12-22-2002, 09:42 PM

Sorry I posted this in the wrong section i wasn't paying attention

hannahgirl · #3 12-22-2002, 10:38 PM

One of the Alpha Gams who I am good friends with found cute shirts at Goodwill that had Delta Gamma printed at the top. She bought me one and gave it to me at our last Panhel meeting. I guess there were a whole bunch of them, so I'm hoping some of my sisters went and bought them.

DeltaBetaBaby · #4 12-23-2002, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Thetagurl
Have you all ever seen this and to anyone that has sold or given away their sorority/fraternity shirts to goodwill shame on you.

I understand the theory that you don't want other people wearing your letters, but if someone is getting good use out of my old clothing, I have no problem giving mine to goodwill. Letters on a t-shirt does not a Phi Mu make.

Kevin · #5 12-23-2002, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltaBetaBaby

I understand the theory that you don't want other people wearing your letters, but if someone is getting good use out of my old clothing, I have no problem giving mine to goodwill. Letters on a t-shirt does not a Phi Mu make.

Agreed. Putting clothes on people that couldn't otherwise afford them I think is a little more worthy than worrying about who wears your letters. I wouldn't really like the fact that someone donated them to goodwill rather than throwing them away, etc.. but there are definitely more worthy things to get worked up over.

DU_KD_924 · #6 12-23-2002, 09:29 AM

This was a hot topic when I was a collegiate, several of our members did volunteer work at various organizations, and one at the local battered wives' shelter. Many times these women would come in with nothing but the clothes on their and their childrens' backs. My wonderful roommate had a stock of old (willed down to her by past members) letter t-shirts, very random, many pretty old and tattered. Anyways, she donated these to the shelter, and those women had something to wear. Even the tattered ones, make nice nightclothes.

If you have a choice between a homeless person (man, woman, or child) going without a shirt or wearing your letters, which would you choose? I hope you'd let them wear your letters, because as said above, letters on a shirt don't make you a sorority girl...

Melissa Hefner
Alpha Psi 924
Kappa Delta Sorority

33girl · #7 12-23-2002, 09:43 AM

Party shirts I don't think it's so bad, but if you are bound and determined to give away sewn on letter shirts or jackets, try giving them to YOUR CHAPTER. Or the chapter nearest you. The last I looked college students weren't the wealthiest of people.

Edited to add if the letters are extremely worn out or cruddy, either wear them around the house as crappy-wear or turn them into cleaning rags. If you wouldn't wear it because it's stained or torn, you shouldn't give it to Goodwill, either...that's very condescending to those who are less fortunate. Plus if it's unwearable, they will probably have to go to the expense of disposing of it. Goodwill is a charitable organization, not a garbage dump.

Blue Violet · #8 12-23-2002, 09:52 AM

some of our alum gave us a bag full of old letter shirts. They were old, UGLY, stained, the sleeves were stretched out. I think one or two girls kept a few, but the rest...you know it..we gave them to good will. I would rather see a homeless person with my letters on than throw it in the garbage where it is doing no one any good. If I saw a homeless person wearing a cross I would not wonder-nor would I care-if he was a Christian. Why would I care if he was or wasn't greek. When I see homeless people, I pray to God and thank him that I am not homeless and then I count my blessings.

Letters are just letters. It's the person on the inside that counts. One of my best sorority sisters didn't own any letters at all. She thought those shirts were tacky. She was the BEST sister though.

xo_kathy · #9 12-23-2002, 10:19 AM

I agree, it's better to clothe the homeless or others in need.

Funny story, though:
I was at Goodwill looking for Halloween costumes and saw this yellow dress. It was probably from the 60's but was only big enough to fit a your girl of about 12. Embroidered on the collar were red XW letters! It was pretty funny actually. Maybe some mom had it made for her daughter as a constant reminder of what she wanted her to be!?!