Published: February 27, 2008 03:13 pm            

Belles of the ball | Cinderella Project redistributes donated formal gowns for girls

BY RUTH RICE

RRICE@TRIBDEM.COM

The Cinderella Project helps high school girls turn into princesses on their prom nights.

The project is an opportunity for local girls to be dressed for their proms without the costs associated with new attire through donations of new or gently used gowns.

The project is headed by Megan Seese, an instructional designer at Concurrent Technologies Corp., and Paula Newman, executive director of the YWCA of Greater Johnstown.

Since its inception last year, Seese has watched the project and donations grow.

“It has a life of its own,” Seese said. “Donations have been coming in. The community has been extremely generous. It’s running itself within a year.”

Donations of gowns, shoes, wraps, purses and jewelry are being accepted at the YW, 526 Somerset St. in the Kernville section of Johnstown.

Young women will be able to select an ensemble from noon to 3 p.m. March 22 and 29.

Last year, the project was able to outfit 65 girls from 16 school districts in Cambria, Somerset and Bedford counties.

Seese sends out flyers to area school districts to make them aware of the opportunity.

“These are girls who usually would have no opportunity to do this, and they have got to do it,” Newman said. “We have got to watch girls become Cinderella. I don’t know who had more fun, the girls trying on the gowns or the girls who helped them.”

On her first Saturday of try-ons last year, Seese wasn’t too sure how it was all going to turn out.

“They started coming and paved the way for more,” she said. “At first, they were tentative and unsure, saying they just came to check it out with a friend and didn’t need a gown.”

The girls soon found out they would be treated like princesses with a volunteer helper at their beck and call, carrying gowns between the third floor storage area and the second floor dressing area for fittings.

“They started out trying on two or three, then they tried on everything,” Seese said. “They were surprised by the selection and were all so appreciative and grateful.”

Seese and Newman were surprised by the popularity of the vintage retro gowns featuring sequins and puffy sleeves that were donated.

“I was asked whether older gowns 20 years old could be donated,” Newman said. “They went like hotcakes.”

Not all gowns are used. Some have price tags still attached.

“We’re pleased that the bridal stores were so generous,” Seese said. “We never expected brand new gowns.”

Items the project does need are gowns in larger sizes, 20 and above.

“The stores don’t carry a lot of them, and they have to be ordered,” Seese said.

To top off the girls’ prom experience, gift certificates for hairstyling, tanning, nails and makeup will be available.

Those who don’t have prom fashions to donate can still contribute to the project through monetary donations, which are used to purchase harder-to-find gowns in larger sizes and gowns that might have to have special tailoring because of physical disabilities.

Gowns, prom accessories or monetary donations may be brought to the YWCA.

Checks for monetary donations, which are tax deductible, should be made payable to YWCA of Greater Johnstown.

“We don’t ask for money, and we don’t ask them to show proof of income,” Seese said.

“This is open to anyone.”



Best dressed

What: Cinderella Project gown fittings.

Where: YWCA of Greater Johnstown, 526 Somerset St. in the Kernville section of Johnstown.

When: Noon to 3 p.m. March 22 and 29.

Information: 536-3519 or 254-2238.

        

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