Huntingtown students hold prom dress drive

Proceeds will go to domestic violence shelter

Friday, March 12, 2010

Forget boyfriends; for many high school junior and senior girls, prom night is all about the dress.

But with rising unemployment numbers and adults filling what would otherwise be after-school jobs for high schoolers, affording that perfect dress has likely become a problem for several teenagers.

Three Huntingtown High School seniors have decided to do something about this.

Alyssa Granados, Holly Hemmer and Ariana Nasatka, all 17 and from Huntingtown, brainstormed an idea last fall to hold a prom dress drive for students who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford one.

This month, the idea has become a reality.

"It honestly just popped into my mind and I figured it was something good we could do during our senior year to help out," Nasatka said, continuing that the drive is being done independently by the three girls, who are not receiving any type of community service credit.

Currently donation boxes are set up at Calvert, Huntingtown and Patuxent high schools as well as at Jesus the Divine Word Church in Huntingtown.

They have advertised the event through flyers at high schools, local businesses and Jesus the Divine Word Church.

Dresses — as well as other prom-related accessories such as shoes, purses and wraps —are being collected through March 18.

On March 19 and 20, all items will be sold at the church for $20. On March 19 they will be sold from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on March 20 they will be sold from noon to 7 p.m.

Proceeds will go the Safe Harbor Domestic Violence Shelter in Prince Frederick.

Granados said they initially selected Safe Harbor as their charity of choice because the church frequently collects for it, though Nasatka said the shelter also fit their larger vision.

"A lot of relationship abuse happens to people when they're in their teens and we're in our teens and teens need prom dresses, so it all fits together," she said.

Nasatka added that she also thinks the drive might save some students the embarrassment of having to tell their friends that they cannot afford a prom dress.

"I don't think it's something somebody would want to talk about but we know the economy is not the best right now," she said.

"And this way we can help people at Safe Harbor, too," Hemmer added.

The girls requested that the donations all be gently used and that the dresses be dry-cleaned and on hangers.

They are also holding raffles for gift cards for nail appointments and pre-prom dinners.

They said so far they have received different types of donations from Peebles in Prince Frederick; Pack N Ship in Dunkirk; Carrington Formal Wear in Prince Frederick; Spa One Nails in Prince Frederick; and Mary's Designer Bridal Boutique in Annapolis.

All three said they have received "lots and lots" of positive feedback from the community.

"When I was at church, this guy came up and said, ‘I don't have any dresses, but here's a donation,'" Granados said.

Nasatka pointed out that parents seem more ready and willing to donate than their daughters who often "don't want to let their dresses go.

" … It's for a good cause. It helps you clean out your closet and get rid of things you don't want; but mostly it's a good cause," she said.

lbuck@somdnews.com