Program seeks to make prom dreams come true

Butler

Many a young woman lingered by the phone in years past, just waiting for the "right" boy to call, but today, having a date isn't a requirement and lots of girls and guys go with a group of friends.

No, it's no longer the date that's the problem.

It's the dress.

Estimates for the average cost of dress, shoes, jewelry, undergarments and other accessories run as high as $800.

For the many girls whose parents can afford to buy their dream dress and the shoes and the jewelry and the must-have accessories to bring the dream to life, the only "problem" is picking the style and the color.

For the girls who don't have a homegrown fairy godmother, the congregation at First Presbyterian Church has embarked on a project to help make their dream dress a reality, too.

Pastor Pam Sebastian, congregation member Brenda Randolph and teen sponsor Olivia Butler are the leaders of "Fairy Prom Mothers," an organization dedicated to helping young girls who don't have the resources to purchase a dress and all that goes with it for that special night.

Randolph, who says she's an "idea 'man,'" was sitting in church one recent Sunday morning, thinking about the need for a local mission project. She said, "I asked God to please give me an idea." The next morning, she said, "It dropped right into my lap," when she received an e-mail from beliefnet.com, describing a similar project in Oklahoma called "Prom Wishes."

That project was based on "Becca's Closet," named for Rebecca Kirtman, who, before her tragic death at age 16 in an auto accident, had single-handedly launched a dress bank intended to benefit girls less fortunate than she. Knowing that prom dresses and other "dress-up" clothes are often worn only once, she conceived the idea of collecting these gently-used items and redistributing them to girls who could not afford to purchase them.

Randolph contacted Becca's Closet, now being carried on by the founder's family and friends, and got the ball rolling on an affiliation with the national organization. First Presbyterian's organization will be the first in Missouri.

Olivia Butler, who will begin her junior year at Marshall High School this month, is the project's teen sponsor. She will be the liaison with school counselors and other representatives to spread word about the project and its goals.

As Butler pointed out, "It's not just dresses for prom that are needed. There's Court-warming, TWERP and Spring Fling, too." Butler, who is on the forensics team at MHS and says forensics is "my passion," hopes to eventually teach at the college level. Her enthusiasm for the project is contagious. "Lots of girls are on a very tight budget," she said, "and sometimes even finding transportation to a store is just as difficult as finding a dress."

The 20 or so dresses hanging in the large closet at First Presbyterian are a good start, but more are needed, in all lengths and sizes. The ladies of the church have already volunteered to make needed alternations. Shoes and jewelry can also be donated. Eventually, the group hopes to branch out to include young men, too, if they need suits or tuxedos.

The picture wouldn't be complete without the right hair style. Jan Stacey, owner of Jan's Beauty Unlimited in Marshall, has volunteered her hairstyling services on prom night for at least one prom-goer and hopes other area salons will follow suit. Stacey points out that a project like this one requires some advance planning for salons, and hopes additional volunteers will step forward soon.

The church's pastor, Rev. Pam Sebastian, commented, "First Presbyterian is not a museum, although it's sometimes regarded that way. We strive to be alive in the community, and this project is a good way to do that."

Referrals to the project can be obtained through the Ministerial Alliance or local high school counselors

To donate any of these items, volunteer to help or arrange for pick-up, contact First Presbyterian Church at (660) 886-5112 between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon, Monday through Friday, or call Brenda Randolph at (660) 886-7571. Donations are tax-deductible; a receipt will be provided. Cash donations will also be accepted.

Contact Kathy Fairchild at

marshallheath@socket.net