Saving lives

Freedom 4/24 hosts flash sale

A local organization is fighting to save women’s lives. Freedom 4/24 will be hosting a Frocks for Freedom event Sept. 24 and 25.

Event organizer Johanna Calfee said it is a flash sale where women can purchase donated clothing, jewelry and accessories such as purses.

“We have some really nice clothing,” Calfee said. “People donated clothes from J-Crew, Ralph Lauren and other name brands.”

All items are priced under $24, with proceeds benefiting Freedom 4/24’s mission of rescuing girls and women from the sex trade industry in Thailand.

Calfee said Liberty students can get involved by attending the event, which will be held at 6-8 p.m. both nights at Tresca on 8th. Wednesday night is VIP night, during which customers can shop for the best deals by paying $24 for each ticket. Tickets can be purchased on Freedom 4/24’s website.

Tresca on 8th is located at 724 Commerce St., Lynchburg.

Calfee, an adjunct professor at Liberty University, said she got the idea for the event after returning from a missions trip to Thailand five years ago.

“While in Thailand, the (Freedom 4/24) president’s wife took us through several brothels,” Calfee said. “I remember feeling so disgusted at seeing what these women went through, and I was determined to make a difference.”

Calfee became inspired to host the event while standing in her closet one day.

“I remember thinking to myself, ‘I have so many clothes I am not wearing, and I bet a lot of my friends do too,’” Calfee said. “I knew that God was calling me to clean out my closet to help these women.”

That was four years ago. Today, Calfee said she hopes to raise at least $5,000 from this year’s event.

“It costs about $24 to rescue one woman from a brothel,” Calfee said. “It is my hope we can rescue a couple hundred girls (through the event)
this year.”

Calfee’s team plans on traveling across the globe to Thailand in a few months.

“We will be traveling to Bangkok over Christmas, and after rescuing the girls, we will host a party for them at Home of New Beginnings, which is a ministry dedicated to helping them learn to live new lives in place of the sex trade,” Calfee said.

According to Calfee, when rescuing the women, the main goal is to share the gospel with them.

“Many of these girls and women have never heard the gospel before,” Calfee said. “It is honestly the best gift we could give them. Along with their freedom, we need to teach them that they have more worth than their (bodies).”

Calfee said there will also be an auction during the evening.

“Moore & Giles donated two new leather bags for the event, which is really a blessing,” Calfee said. “Those will be auctioned off, as will some of the higher-end clothing and accessories, like some brands of boots and purses.”

For more information about Freedom 4/24, visit freedom424.org or the Frocks 4 Freedom event page on Facebook.

MAURER is a feature reporter

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