The Columbia Falls Church Women United was generous to local organizations in 2017, just as they are every year.

Last year, the Church Women United donated more than $16,000 across the area, to organizations including Special Olympics, several fire departments, the Columbia Falls Senior Center, the food bank and many more.

The Columbia Falls chapter of Church Women United was started in the 1950s and it soon opened a small closet in the Episcopal Church across from the school to offer clothing to children in need. Open only on Thursday afternoons, the closet quickly outgrew its limited space. The operation was moved to St. Richard’s Church, but again quickly grew beyond the facilities capabilities.

In 1970, the idea of opening a resale store led to the creation of the Klothes Kloset in a small building on South Nucleus Avenue and staffed by volunteers. Open only on Thursdays, the store offered items priced from 10 cents to $1. Again, additional space was soon needed and the adjacent house was rented and became a work place full of sewing machines.

When the store again outgrew its space, the Klothes Kloset moved to its current location at 286 Nucleus Ave. in 1976. With the increase in space came an increase in debt, so the store hours expanded to Tuesday and Thursdays. The increased number of workers and paperwork led to the hiring of a paid manager. These days, the building is paid off but the hard work continues. Still open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Klothes Kloset continues its mission of giving to nonprofit organizations in the area.

In 2017 the Church Women United donated to the following:

National CWU $100

Literacy Program $100

ALERT $300

Abbie Shelter $300

Hope Pregnancy $500

Nurturing Center $500

Canyon Community Dinners $500

Special Olympics $500

Boys & Girls Club $500

C.F. Community Dinners $600

Bad Rock Fire Dept. $1,000

CASA $1,000

Samaritan House $1,000

Agency on Aging $1,000

C.F. Fire Dept. $1,000

C.F. Senior Center $1,000

C.F. Food Bank $1,500

Eagle Transit $1,500

Three Rivers Ambulance $1,500

CAT $2,000

TOTAL $16,400