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Philly AIDS Thrift just turned 21 and celebrated with a block party.
Like the store itself, the 700 block of South 5th Street was bursting with an eclectic collection of clothing, art, jewelry and attractions Saturday afternoon. One vendor displayed vases fashioned from empty seltzer cans, while another sold baby tees with tongue-in-cheek phrases like “live, laugh, love” and “make yourself hard to kill.”
Other major draws included a dunk tank, a pie-eating contest with live commentary from former CBS anchor Jim Donovan, and musical accompaniment from a plethora of performers, including the annual block party’s longtime master of celebrations, DJ Robert Drake.
The party may have been silly, but the nonprofit is anything but. In 21 years, Philly AIDS Thrift has managed to raise more than $5 million for Delaware Valley organizations addressing HIV and AIDS. These organizations are in need of support more than ever, according to Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou, one of the thrift shop’s founders and its current executive director.
