Free clothes fence strong despite recent wipe-outs

Someone took more than their fair share Friday at the “Free Clothes Fence.”

Though the clothes are free to those in need, someone took every piece of clothing on the fence, which wraps around Brannigan’s house and was full at the time.

“They took everything: the hangers, clothespins, clothes,” Brannigan said. “This has happened three times.”

Brannigan said the clothes were taken between 8 and 9 p.m. Friday. She checked the fence just before 8 p.m., sat down to watch “20/20” and then checked on the fence again.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” Brannigan said. “Every space on the fence was full before and then it was all gone.”

In order to avoid appearing like she closed the clothes fence down, she went into her own closet and put her own clothes on the fence. She usually has a reserve, but this Friday she was caught off-guard.

She said she was going to close it Sunday, but a couple convinced her not to do it.

Donations are still rolling in, Brannigan said, and she is still going strong. The three times the fence has been wiped-out, it was totally full. When it is half-full, people don’t bother, Brannigan said. She fills the fence every Friday with donations she received during the week from the community.

The "Free Clothes Fence" sees a wide array of clothes, including children’s and various sizes of men’s and women’s.

“I’d like to imagine whoever took them needs them,” Brannigan said.

“I’ll keep doing it as long as people keep bringing me clothes,” Brannigan said. She added that besides these occasional disappearances of her stock, the home-grown charity has been going good.

“People need the clothes and some people don’t have the money to buy new clothes,” Brannigan said.

Brannigan is retired and spends her time tending to the fence. She said running the fence is a full-time job and she devotes all her time to it.

The "Free Clothes Fence" is taking clothing donations as usual; clothes-pin and hanger donations are now also accepted.

Brannigan runs the make-shift charity out of her home at 436 14th Ave.