GMC News
“Libby’s Closet” lends a helping hand to hundreds of Middle Georgia families
(“Libby’s Closet” is now located in the bottom of the newly renovated Old Capitol Building.)
“Libby’s Closet” continues to thrive with uniform donations for Prep School students at Georgia Military College (GMC) thanks to the continuous support from the community. “Libby’s Closet” is now located in the bottom of the newly renovated Old Capitol Building. Since its inception three years ago, Libby’s Closet has helped more than 200 families afford prep school uniforms.
“Everybody who uses it is really appreciative of it,” said MAJ Libby Blair, Coordinator of Libby’s Closet. “I get a lot of repeat customers.”
(MAJ Libby Blair is the coordinator of “Libby’s Closet.”)
GMC’s President, LTG William B. Caldwell, IV, named “Libby’s Closet” after Major (MAJ) Libby Blair, who is a Middle School Science Teacher at GMC’s Prep School and a prep school alumna. MAJ Blair originally coordinated the closet with a former prep school student. She says she saw a need to help families purchase affordable uniforms for their children to attend GMC’s Prep School.
“When my daughter entered GMC in the sixth grade I was already employed here, but even being employed here I knew it was going to be a struggle for me to put her into uniforms,” said MAJ Libby Blair. “It’s expensive to buy new uniforms and luckily I had people who gave me uniforms and I was able to find some used uniforms in different places. It got me thinking that if it was going to be financially difficult for me and my husband to afford uniforms and we’re fully employed, then I knew that there had to be parents who were struggling to get their kids into uniforms here.”
Former prep school students and GMC’s junior college cadets can donate their gently worn uniforms to “Libby’s Closet” for current 6-12th grade prep students to purchase. MAJ Blair inspects all uniform donations to make sure prep students won’t receive demerits. Uniform shirts, pants, jackets and other accessories range in prices from $1-$4. Families can purchase a maximum of two pieces of each type of uniform. MAJ Blair’s efforts have also caught the attention of local businesses in the community wanting to help.
(Uniform shirts, pants, jackets, and other accessories range in prices from $1-$4.)
“When I started brainstorming this idea I went looking at the different dry cleaners in town,” said Blair. “Chambers Dry Cleaners offered to do our uniform dry cleaning at a cut rate because they saw the value in helping students.”
Donations to “Libby’s Closet can be sent to the Prep School’s office, GMC’s Bookstore, or to MAJ Libby Blair. “Libby’s Closet” will be open two afternoons each month once school starts back for GMC’s Prep School on August 4th.
(Dressing Room in “Libby’s Closet.”)
