MONROE — Marta Prahl, an American Family Insurance agency owner in Monroe, started a Halloween costume exchange at the business three years ago.

“I wanted to find a unique way to give back to the community. In an area that wasn’t already tapped into,” Prahl said. “Like a lot of times over Christmas or Thanksgiving there’s a lot of business that do many wonderful things during that time, right? And I felt like this was something we could do where there’s definitely a need. Halloween costumes are not cheap, so to be able to have a space for the community to come in and grab a costume free of charge. I thought it was just a unique way to help out the community.” 

 This is the third year of the exchange. Prahl’s agency, located at 109 West 8th Steet in Monroe, accepts gently used costumes for all ages as she has newborn through adult sized costumes on the racks. The event this year has gone from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31. It is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. You do not have to have a donation to shop, Prahl said. She takes donations anytime all year long. 

Prahl said her favorite part of the exchange is when the kids find their costumes and she can see the joy on their faces. Prahl said the costume donations have more than quadrupled in the last two years and it’s nice to see the growth of the event.

“Thank you to the community and parents and everyone that’s been able to donate the costumes are going to good use to the families that need them. It’s been fun and it was even fun to see a few of the costumes and the families that came in to grab costumes we saw them at the Trunk or Treat. Just having a good time on the square and that was fun to see,” Prahl said.