For three years, the Trapper Creek Free Box has provided clothes, shoes, and some housewares free of charge to anyone who walks through their door. The items are donated from other Upper Valley residents and stored in a small building in the Trapper Creek Community Park near Mile 115 of the Parks Highway. Normally, the free box is open every afternoon, but they will be closed until around June 15th.
Debbie Filter, one of the volunteers who operates the free box, says this past winter, it became clear that some upgrades were needed to the roof of the building.
“We need to pull down the plywood, stuff some insulation in, and make it so we don’t lose the very costly heat that’s provided by our Toyo stove.”
In addition, Debbie Filter says there will be some cosmetic upgrades to the free box.
“We want to fix the ceiling so it doesn’t leak. We want to also paint the walls and the ceiling because it’s just unfinished plywood right now, so we want to brighten it up with some cheery yellow paint.”
Filter says people come from as far north as Cantwell and as far south as Big Lake to visit the free box, and their level of need varies widely. Some people come in to shop for one or two things like they might at a thrift store. She says Trapper Creek Community Services has also been able to help families in positions of dire need as well.
“We fixed up people who have recently lost their entire home with a fire. As drastic as that, they’ll replenish a lot of needed supplies from our free box.”
While work on the building is underway, Debbie Filter says donations of clothes will still be accepted, and that monetary donations, while never mandatory, are always welcome.
