Clothing Drive Volunteer Lauded

Clothing Drive Volunteer Lauded

Janet Crabtree, an organizer and director of the House by the Side of the Road organization, has been honored for her activities with this Washtenaw County clothing service outlet. The Ann Arbor Western Kiwanis Club gave Crabtree the club’s Citizenship Service Recognition Award.

The House by the Side of the Road was started by Crabtree in 1970 to help furnish emergency clothing for the poor after the sit-in at the Washtenaw County Building by the Welfare Rights Organization. The organization was later formally set up and the Washtenaw County Commissioners furnished a room for it.

Area churches furnished volunteers to repair and distribute the clothing. More than 50 local churches were involved during the initial period and approximately 25 churches are participating in the work of the organization today. All work in the project, including Crabtree’s directorship, is volunteer.

Crabtree is the wife of Raymond Crabtree, retired electrical engineer at the University of Michigan. They live at 1125 Olivia Ave.