By April Lehmbeck
C & G Staff Writer

EASTPOINTE — Senior ladies who are carrying old, worn-out handbags now have a way to replace them without draining their pocketbook.

Senior Center Program Supervisor Mary Grant had for too long seen ladies coming in and out of the center carrying the same old purses, in some cases over a number of years. One day she considered all the purses in her house and realized there must be many homes with purses that aren’t being used.

After some time of wanting to do this, Grant has accomplished her goal of opening a purse pantry at the Senior Center where ladies can trade in an old handbag for a new or gently used one.

“There’s a need for this,” Grant said.

“It’s been something that I’ve been wanting to do for years,” she said.

The center plans to open the pantry for one hour each month. The first day was Jan. 26.

Grant was able to launch the initial day of the purse pantry after spending several weeks collecting donated purses. Many of the purses came in after Grant told her cousin, who works for the Rochester Hills Public Library. Her cousin sent out an e-mail to staff.

“She gave me 100 purses from her staff,” Grant said.

“We do have quite a few brand-new ones,” she said.

On the first day for the pantry, there were all types of purses —including designer bags from Coach to Vera Bradley and The Sak — laid out based on color, size and style. The bags ranged from small purses to totes.

“We have a good variety,” Grant said. “We have a little bit of everything.”

The Senior Center plans to continue taking donations so the pantry remains stocked with new purses.

Lynn Murray was one of the women who found her next purse at the purse pantry opening. She first picked up a cream-colored bag, but spent some time deciding between that one and a couple of others.

“I think it’s wonderful,” she said of the purse pantry. “I love it. There’s just so much to choose from.”

When they leave, they don’t walk away with just a purse, but something extra inside. Grant places a “Purse Poem” in each bag with a penny attached.

As for the old purses that are turned in, they plan to donate the ones that are still usable to charity.

With not a lot of publicity for the first event, Grant thinks that it will grow after word of mouth starts spreading.

Grant hasn’t decided if they plan to keep it the same day each month or change it up. For information about dates and times for future purse pantries, keep an eye out for the Senior Center newsletter.