For the past few months, a type of laundromat has been running at Red Bluff High School for students who are in need of getting their clothes washed.  The idea for the Spart-O-Mat was created by Nurse Karrie Roth who wanted to help students who may need laundry service.  With the help of Cari Van Riper, Director of Student Services, Daisy Brose and Michele Gunsauls, the service is taking off.  The service is provided by Lisa Wallace’s students, and they are compensated through WorkAbility 1.

Basically this is how the service works; the students can come and see either Ms. Gunsauls, Nurse Roth, and Ms. Brose, or any other adult in the Counseling Center about getting their clothes washed. The students are then issued a backpack bag that they can fill with their dirty clothes. They return it to the Nurse’s Office/Counseling Center where they sign in their clothes that need to be laundered, and put their backpack bag in a deposit bin. Ms. Wallace’s students who do the service, then will come and pick them up to be washed. The students who provide the service wear gloves and take very good measures to not touch soiled clothes, as well as making sure each student’s load of clothes stays separate from any other student’s clothes. The clothes are washed using the hottest setting with measured detergent, then go into the dryer on the hottest setting, as well. Once dried, the students take them back to the Nurse’s Office/Counseling Center and put them into the corresponding cubbies, (fabricated by Lance Bickford and his construction class) for the student to pick up and sign out. 

While this has been used by a few students, so far, some of the clothes that are washed have been donated to the Closet at Red Bluff High School.  That way, if a student needs a piece of clothing it’s nice and freshly washed. Not only is this program helping students who need this service, but it is also teaching Ms. Wallace’s students a variety of living skills.

If you need some of your clothes washed, then go to the Counseling Center or the Nurse’s Office to help you get the clean clothes you need!  There is no shame in using this service, and it can help you to succeed in school!