Don't Stress Over The Dress

Well we have turned the calendar to February and the Groundhog didn't see his shadow, so that must mean we are nearing Spring. At least we all hope so. I think we are all tired of the cold weather and snow. What this also means is that we are getting closer to prom season. Proms have changed a lot since I was in high school. I know for one thing, they cost a lot more money now then they did a few years back. It seems students like to rent limousines, tuxedos and buy beautiful dresses.  I just read that according to a 2015 survey from Visa, American families were spending an average of about $919 on their proms. Prom dresses can average around $400. You can see why students start getting really anxious about their proms around this time of year and wondering how they are going to pay for all of it.

Well let me tell you about a fantastic organization that I try to promote every year. I believe this should take some stress off of you and cut your prom cost down significantly. It is called the "Don't Stress Over the Dress" event. This is the 11th annual event. Let me tell you a little bit about it so that you can take advantage of this event if you are in need. The event is held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 8th, 9th and 10th. On Friday it is from 3:00 pm until 8:00 pm. Saturday is from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm and Sunday it is from 1:00 pm until 4:00 pm. This event is held at the Findlay Village Mall in Findlay. Any girl that is attending prom and is in need of a prom dress is welcome to attend. Each girl is allowed to receive only one dress. Each girl may bring one female guest to help her shop and an adult cannot shop for a girl unless the girl is present. There will be over 800 next-to-new, current gowns available at NO CHARGE! Some of the gowns still have tags on them. They also have shoes, jewelry and other prom related items. You can follow this event on Facebook at "Don't Stess Over the Dress".

Now if you are not a student but think this is an awesome event and would love to help them out, then there are several ways. If you have a gown to donate, you can drop it off up until Monday, March 4th. They also accept purses, jewelry, shoes, wraps, shawls, un-opened hosiery, make-up, perfume, and hair products. They have nine drop-off locations. You can check their Facebook page to see the drop-off locations, however there is one nearby in Convoy. The one in Convoy is at Scott Quarry, 2364 Richey Rd. and ask for Lori Brooks.

I really hope that everyone here would take advantage of this great event if you can not afford a prom dress for yourself. Please don't put the added pressure of buying a dress ruin this magical night. You are only a senior once, so enjoy this evening stress free and without going broke. And remember, be smart on prom night and make good choices. All of us truly care about you and your safety. I would like to close by thanking everyone who is involved with this great event and for all the work that you do. You have no idea how many people you have helped and made someone's night a lot brighter.