Sisters act
Trenton women are collecting donated dresses and providing them to local teens free of charge to ensure everyone gets the chance to attend high school prom.
Three Trenton sisters have come up with a way to play fairy godmother for girls struggling with the cost of prom dresses.
Brandi, Tori and Keeley MacCuish are the force behind the newly formed New Glasgow Glass Slipper Organization which is giving away prom dresses at New Glasgow library Saturday, Feb. 23.
“A small group of girls in the Halifax area formed a Glass Slipper group a few years ago because they wanted everyone to be able to attend prom,” said Brandi. “One formed in Truro after that. We felt there was a need in New Glasgow area and we’re very excited to see how it works.”
There will be well over 230 dresses available at the local Glass Slipper event. All that’s needed to take a dress home is student ID.
Brandi McCuish, 25, who lives and works in Halifax, remembers talking about her graduation prom to a girl on the bus coming home from high school eight years ago.
“I was all excited about it and she told me she wasn’t going because it was just too expensive. I hated the idea that she couldn’t go, and her story has stayed in the back of my mind ever since.”
As Brandi watched her younger sisters going to their proms, she wondered how many other girls were missing prom because of the cost.
“I’m pretty sure it has gotten more expensive than it was when I was going, so I am sure it is a problem for girls in Pictou County.”
It was not until she started working with non-profit organizations that she became aware of Glass Slipper and how it works.
“My experience at work gave me the confidence to figure out how to do this as a charitable organization and then I approached my sisters who were all for it. We’d always talked about the need for something like this, but we didn’t know how to go about it.”
The organization collects donated dresses and makes them available at no charge.
“The library is accepting donations of dresses for us and people are starting to catch on to the idea of donating. The library is also giving us a space to offer two events, the one coming up and another in May as we get closer to prom season.”
The MacCuish girls all considered their proms to be highlights of their high school years and treasure the memories.
“We all feel every girl should have the chance to go and the cost of the dress should not keep her from attending. We want everyone who wants to go to feel pretty and happy in a prom dress and have the same good memories we have.”
She pointed out there are many girls whose families have limited incomes or who, for one reason or another, may struggle with the cost of prom fashions.
“Not everyone can take a weekend or two and go away to shop for a prom dress. We all hear the stories about where dresses are coming from and how much they cost. That’s fine, if you can afford it and you’re willing to spend that much, but prom is supposed to be for everyone.”
She knows there are efforts within the schools to meet students’ needs but it is not always easy.
“Some students are not going to admit money is a problem and you can’t blame them for that. There may also be students who the school might not be aware could use a little help.”
By having an event outside the school system, Brandi feels there is a better chance of reaching more girls.
The other advantage of the Glass Slipper event is that it has a wide selection of dresses, thanks in part to a generous donation from the Halifax chapter.
“They are really happy to see a group formed in New Glasgow so when I talked to them they immediately offered to donate dresses to get us started.”
She can’t promise there will be something for everyone but they will have more dresses than many department stores.
“Obviously, there will be lots of different styles and sizes so the chance of finding something that suits at no charge is really good. If you’ve seen the range of dresses at high school proms, then that’s the range of dresses we will have.”
Brandi’s own first prom dress was bought second hand and she has a dress that was worn eight times after she wore it.
“I can remember going through prom photos with my school friends and we’d pick out the dresses we really liked. Then we might arrange to buy or borrow them for the next year. That seemed to happen less and less with my sister’s friends and the prices went up and up, so we are pretty sure there are lots of people out there who would be grateful not to have to spend hundreds of dollars on a dress they may wear once.”
She also doesn’t remember spending a small bundle on hair and makeup, either.
“By the time my youngest sister was going to prom everyone was having their hair done and getting their makeup done. Unfortunately, a lot of girls are very self-conscious when it comes to prom and having a dress that suits helps with that”
She would have loved the chance to shop at a Glass Slipper event.
“My sisters and I all played hockey for years and years so that was a big expense for my parents. If there had been an event in my time, I’d probably have gone.”
When the McCuish sisters host the Glass Slipper event on Feb. 23 they are not interested in any details of the girls’ circumstances.
“We’re not looking for any information other than a student ID. We’re just offering a fun shopping experience for anyone who wants to come.”
Brandi’s sister Tori, who lives in New Glasgow, has been collecting locally donated dresses and sister Keeley, 22, a fourth-year student at St. FX, will be home on her study break to help organize the event.
“My boyfriend is going to help me bring dresses from Halifax and I’ve got cousins and friends who are volunteering to help in various ways, but we can still use more helpers.”
While she and her sisters have been spreading the word among their age group, she is hoping others will jump on the bandwagon.
“I’m sure there are lots of dresses that are just hanging in closets. I know my mother is really happy this event is going to get about 10 of them out of her closet.”
The sisters also know it can take a while for word to get around about such an event.
“We thought February was a good time to start but we’ll have a second event in May for those who did not hear about the first one. We’re really hoping this will become an annual event.”
Any student without an ID can contact organizers in advance and other arrangements will be made.
The Glass Slipper event will be from noon to 4 p.m. at New Glasgow Library, 182 Dalhousie St. There is a Facebook page for the event and Brandi McCuish can also be contacted at brandimaccuish1993@gmail.com.
Rosalie MacEachern is a Stellarton resident and freelance writer. She seeks out people who work behind the scenes on hobbies or jobs that they love the most. If you know someone you think she should profile in an upcoming article, she can be reached at r.maceachern@ns.sympatico.ca.
“We’d always talked about the need for something like this, but we didn’t know how to go about it.”
Brandi MacCuish