TELLURIDE – Clutch for a Cause kicks off today (Thursday, July 22) at Two Skirts, the high-end women’s clothing store on main street, between Fir and Pine streets.

The store has been accepting donated clutches, purses, handbags and shoulder-bags for the last two weeks to sell as a fundraiser for San Miguel Resource Center.

The sale starts Thursday morning, with a late-afternoon opening reception, 4-7 p.m.

Of the concept, confides Two Skirts’ owner Kristin Holbrook: “I stole it from a friend back East, because I thought it was a great idea.”

In times of economic downturn, she observes, domestic violence becomes more prevalent. And in her six years on the board of the SMRC, which takes as its mission working to end domestic violence and sexual assault in the county, and five years as chairperson for the SMRC’s February fund-raising gala (the Chocolate Lovers Fling), she has been on the lookout for the perfect summertime complement to the Fling.

SMRC has a 24-hour hotline with trained advocates available to listen, lend support and respond in-person to individuals experience domestic crises in San Miguel County. Advocate trainings are held three times a year, in Telluride (in September and January), and in Norwood/Nucla (in late October); classes are free, and anyone who wants to learn more about ending domestic violence and sexual assault is encouraged to attend. Its outreach includes manning a 24-hour crisis hotline; personal and legal advocacy; emergency shelter and safe housing for victims/survivors of domestic violence and their children; facilitated support groups for victims/survivors of domestic violence; information and referral; cultural outreach; community education; volunteer advocate training and school-based prevention education for children, ages preschool-through-high school.

Leading a visitor to the tiny backroom in her store, Holbrook herself seems surprised at the response, tugging at a box from which upwards of 100 donated clutches, purses and handbags spill out.

“The bags weren’t at all hard to get,” she says, adding that all profits from all clutch/purse/bag sales during the four-day event (Thursday, July 22 through Sunday, July 25) go to SMRC. She has had four presales already.

The store’s center display table with feature donated items, with additional donated items – and new items, as well – displayed throughout the store. For more info on the sale, San Miguel Resource Center, or to register for an advocat training class, call 970/728-5842. SMRC’s website is sanmiguelresourcecenter.org.