Donated goods lined the tables of DSU’s Nite Class space for a thrift swap event hosted by WKU’s Ecology Club Wednesday.

Attendees filled one grocery bag with items in exchange for either a $5 donation or a bag of their own donations to be sold.

Ecology Club Vice President and sophomore biology major Bree Chaffin took inspiration from their high school’s environmental science club when organizing the event.

“Every couple of months, we would do a little thrift swap within the club,”  Chaffin said. “It made me feel so good, doing something sustainable and getting things secondhand.”

Chaffin was also responsible for connecting the club to Re-Tree BG, which received the proceeds from the event.

Founded in response to Bowling Green’s tornado damage in 2021, Re-Tree BG worked to replace the many trees lost in the damage. Today, they host two tree giveaways each year, gifting saplings to Bowling Green residents and business owners.

“I found Re-Tree BG, and I thought they were so perfect for our message,” Chaffin said.

“We started working with them to get a connection to a group in Bowling Green,” said sophomore biology major and Ecology Club member Leah Thompson. “It’s kind of a new relationship, so we don’t know much about them yet.”