JAY — Selectmen agreed Monday to allow the organizers of the On the House free store to use additional space at the Community Building with conditions.

Those conditions mean putting away donated clothing and other items so they are out of the way in case some group wants to use the meeting room. The board agreed that items could still be stored in the room as long as the room is useable.

The On The House free store is run by members of the Jay Active Youth group with parent supervisors that include Tammy Deering, Julie Taylor, Jessica Bessey and Tina Bonnevie among others.

The store is set up in two small rooms and lobby of the Community Building with racks, shelves and tables to offer good-quality used clothes, shoes, winter clothing for all ages. The store is open from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, except Christmas and New Year’s Day, Deering said. Organizers are hoping to open a day or two during the week if they get senior citizens to volunteer to staff it, Deering said.

Since the store opened in October, there have been about 50 shoppers each Saturday with that number dropping to about 35 during the holiday weekend, Deering said.

There are about 20 kids involved, she said.

Voluntteers were recently able to supply clothing to a woman with several children and who had just moved to the state to live with a relative, Taylor told selectmen. They only had the clothes on their back and the children ranged from a baby to middle school age, she said.

Another time, a woman came in with a sweathshirt on and left wearing a winter coat, Deering said.

The store needs more donations of clothing, especially men’s and children’s, and winter clothing, Deering said. Donated items need to be gently used, stain free and of good quality.

Deering described the venture as awesome and doing something good for the community.

Selectman Amy Gould said she visited the store and was impressed with what she saw. They are doing a great job and filling a need in the community, Gould said.

“I do think what you’re doing is very good,” Chairman Steve McCourt said. Selectmen just needed the meeting rooms clear so others could use them.

Volunteers sort the donated clothing on two tables in the meeting room, Deering said.

The women agreed to put the clothing and tables out of the way.

Town Manager Ruth Cushman also asked them to make sure there is a 42-inch clear, walking path in the lobby for safety purposes.

The entrance to the store will also have to be through another door during the colder months  due to the potential of falling ice and snow from the roof, she said. That is a requirement by the town’s insurance carrier, Cushman said.

The idea for such a store was generated last year by middle school secretary Kim Cook, school nurse Jackie Kilbreth and high school business teacher Linda Davis.

dperry@sunjournal.com