SKOWHEGAN -- Sifting through garments at the Centenary United Methodist Church Clothes Closet Wednesday, Kathy Ward said the used garments are a real blessing during tough times.

"It sure comes in handy," Ward said, already sporting a blue jacket she got from the church last week. "It's getting cold and I'm feeling the arthritis in my whole body. When your husband is retired and you're living on $1,200 a month -- even though they're used clothes -- it sure helps."

Albert Booker of Madison, with three men's suits strung over his arm, was equally pleased.

"One's going to be for my stepdaughter's graduation, and in 2008, my fiancZ and I are getting married," said Booker. "Now I have three suits to choose from."

Ward and Booker were among more than two dozen people who visited the Clothes Closet, which opened Nov. 8. Its hours are from 9 a.m. to noon each Wednesday and coincide with the town's food cupboard schedule.

The only requirement is that people sign in, list the number of people in their household and jot down how many items they take. This helps the church determine what types of items are going well and what may be needed, according to this week's volunteers Darcy Lyons, Ed Tuttle and Martha Newman.

People came and went all morning, looking through clothes stacked or hung from floor to ceiling in the church basement on Dr. Mann Road. They gathered up everything from coats and sweaters to baby clothes and jeans -- very careful not to take more than they needed, appearing very appreciative for the help.

Volunteers had little time to stop. When they weren't helping people bag their chosen items, they were folding more donated clothes piled in disarray in another room.

Still needed are baby and children's clothing, especially coats, along with long johns, maternity clothes, underwear, men's clothing and warm winter items. Sweatshirts, warm-up pants, anything that keeps out the cold, also will be accepted, they said. Towels, sheets and bags also were in short supply.

"We can't keep up with women's sweaters and we need more men's clothes," Newman said.

Most of the items come from people in the community; this week coats were donated from Hannaford's coat drop-off site. What isn't clean is discarded, volunteers said.

John Malek, who helped organize the program, said the need for the clothes is apparent. He remembered one man who came in one cold day last month in just his shirt sleeves, selected a coat off the rack and left.

"That was all he needed," Malek said. "And most of the people come here on foot. There were only two with cars."

Some walk-ins said the church's effort filled a void left after the clothes closet at the Municipal Building closed more than a year ago.

"I'm so glad it's back," said Linda Groder of Skowhegan. "I missed the one downtown."

One visitor, as he walked toward the door with his handful of clothes, said, "Thank you very, very much. And Merry Christmas!" to which Lyons replied: "You come again now."