Wyoming — A giving closet located at Wyoming High School and serving the entire district was created in honor of a grandfather figure who volunteered countless hours at Oriole Park Elementary.
To students, Clinton Palmerlee was “Poppy,” the devoted man who spent time in their classrooms and field trips for about two decades after he retired in 1994. He was also Poppy to his grandchildren, including Ashley, Amber, Lexi, Andrea and Austin, who all attended Oriole Park when they were children.
In honor of their patriarch who died in 2017, the family started Poppy’s Closet, a giving closet located at Wyoming High School and serving all of Wyoming Public Schools. Running the operation together are Poppy’s wife, Joanne Palmerlee, daughters Kim Grzeszak and Kris May, along with the grandchildren and their spouses, who manage inventory and orders and make sure items get into the hands of those who need them.
‘We don’t even know the students’ or families’ names. We just want to know the need and fill the need.’
— Kim Grzeszak
“It’s a true family affair. That’s what we wanted it to be — something that as a family we could give back to remember my dad,” Grzeszak said.
A District-wide Resource
Poppy’s Closet is filled with clothing and other items. Resources get to students by way of school social workers, who request items they know a student or family needs.
The organization relies on tangible donations and monetary contributions, with all items going to students and families at no charge. Fundraisers include a golf outing Sept. 13, with registration available on the Poppy’s Closet Facebook page.
“Winter coats are our big thing. They are a hot commodity,” Grzeszak said.
Items are available for all ages to meet the needs of entire families, she said.
“We have clothing from infants all the way up to men’s and women’s,” she said.
To build inventory, Grzeszak and crew pass out contact information at garage sales, requesting that leftover items be donated to them.
If they receive a request for something not in stock, they purchase what is needed.
“We don’t even know the students’ or families’ names. That is all kept very personal and private,” Grzeszak said. “We don’t need to know that. We just want to know the need and fill the need.”
Now in its third year, the goal is to increase awareness, said Amber Prause, granddaughter to Poppy and vice president of the organization. The more staff members who learn about the resource and contact social workers about what they need, the more families can be served.
Poppy’s Closet also hopes to soon take requests directly from teachers and families. Another goal is to add hygiene products and home goods to their stock.
A Family of Alumni
The family’s roots in Wyoming are deep. Poppy graduated from then Rogers High School in 1946 and Joanne Palmerlee graduated from Wyoming Park in 1954. Kim Grzeszak graduated from Rogers High School in 1989; Prause from Wyoming High School in 2014; and Lexi Grzeszak from Wyoming High School in 2015.
“We are familiar with the community, We feel the needs of that — we lived it,” Prause said. “That, coupled with the fact that Poppy was very involved in the community as well — we are not only keeping his name alive with the students, but able to do something that he would want to do to keep giving back on as well.”
Prause and Lexi Grzeszak said they know many of their classmates would have benefited from the giving closet when they were in school.
“Having seen (the need) firsthand, now being able to help where we can and when we can feels good,” said Lexi Grzeszak.
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