Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1536052
8 SUMMER 2025 planned,'" Matwijkow admitted. "It was a huge amount of coordination of people's resources. We made so many calls to everyone we knew: all the studios, various productions, everyone, to get donations of racks, clothing, supplies, volunteers. A huge shout-out especially goes to the Teamsters who were instrumental in coordinating and logistics for the drive." Throughout the event, Charlie Bear, Velosa's adorable dog, ran around bringing joy and supervising the massive operations, making sure everything ran smoothly. Soon enough though, a new challenge arose: rain. While dry Los Angeles was desperate for rain, it meant that the previous outdoor operations of hanging, curating, sizing, and sorting would need to move indoors. Inconveniently, the entire interior of the CDG was already taken up by the showroom. Overnight, as clouds hung low in the sky, the racks and boxes of clothing were spirited down the street to Local 871, which opened its doors to help. Its building was soon filled with e-crates and boxes stacked to the ceiling. Meanwhile, the showroom at 892 didn't miss a beat. When I came back to volunteer on a shivery, wet day, I was assigned to help any shopper who came in. While IA Vice President Mike Miller speaking with Local 705/892 members. IATSE members helping organize the showroom.