Junior Woman’s Club hosts 8th annual prom dress drive
Free dress event open to junior and senior girls from all school districts
The Boyertown Junior Woman’s Club will host its eighth annual prom dress drive, collecting dresses through March 3 for the upcoming Once Upon a Prom event.
The idea behind Once Upon a Prom is that once you’ve had your “once upon a time” moment, you can give another hers, the Club announced in a release.
“So many of us buy formal dresses and wear them once for an event and then they sit in our closet. This was the perfect opportunity to donate these dresses to a great cause. Dresses are expensive and purchasing the accessories adds up,” said Danelle Matlack, a Boyertown Junior Woman’s Club member. “This event gives girls a way to get a stylish dress at no cost. It helps alleviate some of the financial cost of going to prom. Some young women can’t financially afford a new dress, so this gives them that chance to get the dress they always dreamed of.”
Recognizing that the dress is a huge part of going to prom but can be an enormous financial burden for some, Boyertown Junior Woman’s Club members established an event that would help provide beautiful prom dresses for those who might not otherwise have the means to purchase them.
“Our club members have great memories of going to prom and we want the next generation to have the same experience and a big part of going to prom is having a great dress! Having that dress that makes you feel good and gives you confidence is such a gift,” said Matlack. “The dress is a huge part of going to prom. We want these young girls to leave with a smile on their face and a gorgeous dress in their hand. We have hundreds of dresses available!”
In 2022, several dozen girls attended from local communities.
“The response has been very positive. The girls have a great time trying on a variety of dress styles and colors. It has turned into such a fun event through
the years,” said Matlack. “One awesome thing we have noticed is that often the girls that took a dress will then donate it back the next year so that another young lady might get to wear it for their event.”
This year, the Club hopes that number rises as they have more than 800 dresses in stock.
“With the support of our community, we have hundreds of beautiful dresses and accessories available. We hope to raise awareness of the event and reach more girls allowing them to leave Once Upon a Prom with a dress or two in hand and a smile on their face,” said Anita Zuber, Boyertown Junior Woman’s Club member in the release.
Girls in junior and senior high from all school districts are welcomed to attend the event which will be held on March 4 and 5 and March 11 and 12 from noon to 4 p.m. at Boyertown YMCA, 301 W. Spring St., Boyertown. There is no charge for the dress or accessories. Monetary donations in any amount will be accepted and donated to Boyertown Post Prom.
The ongoing success of this event is dependent on those willing to donate their gently used prom or special occasion dresses.
“It’s win-win,” said Matlack.
“Donors feel good that they are doing something positive for someone else and they get to clean out their closets from dresses that they personally won’t wear again.”
The Club welcomes clean, non-torn dresses of all sizes, both long and short, as well as purses, clutches, dress shoes, jewelry, and wraps. Donations are being accepted through March 3 and can be dropped off at Zuber Realty, 201 E. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit the GFWC Junior Woman’s Club of Boyertown Facebook page.
Comprised of a group of women who volunteer their time and talents to enrich the Boyertown area and beyond with projects benefiting youth and those in need, the Boyertown Junior Woman’s Club is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, on of the world’s largest and oldest nonpartisan, nondenominational, women’s volunteer service organizations.