Local musicians team up with laundromat to host clothing drive
Local musicians are doing their part to “clean up” the neighborhood with a free music festival on May 21st, from 3 – 7 p.m., at the Clean Rite Center, 50-14 Roosevelt Ave. in Woodside, to support a local clothing drive.
The Loosies, a Maspeth-based rock group, came up with the idea for the festival with the goal of collecting on-site donations for All of Us Clothing, an organization that distributes clothes to different charities and causes in the area, and Clean Rite Center, a 24/7 laundromat service company with over 70 stores across New York City, Baltimore, Allentown and parts of Ohio.
Tony Sofio, the drummer for The Loosies, said he was half-joking when he suggested the idea of holding a music festival/clothing drive at a laundromat. The band sent an email to their local Clean Rite Center regardless and were shocked to hear that not only was Clean Rite interested in the suggestion, but they pitched in and offered to help plan the event.
“Clean Rite takes pride in making a difference in the communities we serve,” Felicia Galitsky, chief of staff for Clean Rite, said. “We have been taking on a more active role in community initiatives and when The Loosies came to us with this, it seemed like a no-brainer – we love the idea of different local businesses coming together to unite the community!”
In addition to putting on the free concert, local musicians will be providing free laundry soap for all patrons and free cookies courtesy of Subway.
“Who doesn’t love clothing drives? Good for our neighbors and our environment,” Astoria-based singer-songwriter Sara No H said about performing at the upcoming festival. “Let’s gather, share resources, and make some sweet music while we’re at it.”
The festival will feature eight different live performance from local artists and bands including The Loosies, Sara No H, Jeff Rodriguez (Jackson Heights), Sean Cantatore, Jam Young, King ECH (Westbury), Too Dapper (The Bronx), Tom Smollins (Woodside), and Rao (Woodside).
For more information and set times, visit the band’s website at iloveloosies.nyc.