A Time to Dance: Prom dress giveaway set for Tuesday, Saturday
By Linda Braden Albert (lindaba@thedailytimes.com)
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens,” including a time to mourn and a time to dance, according to the biblical book of Ecclesiastes (KJV). If the Acteens of East Maryville Baptist Church have anything to say about it, the upcoming prom season will not be a time to mourn " instead it will be a time to dance in a beautiful dress provided free of charge to any high school senior girl who might otherwise be unable to attend due to financial difficulties.
The second annual A Time to Dance Prom Dress Giveaway will be held Tuesday and Saturday at the church. Between 150 and 200 dresses will available during the “shopping days,” many of which will have matching accessories, as well.
About half of the dresses have been donated from sorority women at the University of Tennessee through the Panhellenic Council. Angela Anderson, Acteens director at the church, said the women heard about the prom dress giveaway through Young Life, a Christian ministry that reaches out to middle school, high school and college-aged students in the United States and around the world.
“They have dresses they want to donate, so the director at the Panhellenic Council called me and asked if that would be possible,” Anderson said. “Each girl had three or four dresses with accessories. Then they called back and wanted to know if they could help in any way, so they are going to help us set up. One of the girls is a graphic artist. I gave her the information and they donated all the posters and the flyers. It has been a wonderful blessing.”
Girls on a mission
Acteens is a missions organization for girls in grades seven through 12. The group gives an opportunity for teen girls to learn about missions, do hands-on mission projects, go on mission trips and give to mission causes. The prom dress giveaway is showing the group that the mission field is everywhere and can be as close as their next-door neighbors.
Samantha Harding, 17, and Lairame White, 15, both students at Maryville High School, Laura Frahme, 17, a student at Heritage High School, and Louisa Anderson, 13, a student at Maryville Middle School, are four of the Acteens helping with the project.
Samantha said, “This is a ministry we are really proud of, and we hope it continues to grow.”
Laura said she attended prom last year and can see how beneficial the prom dress giveaway can be.
“I know how expensive prom dresses are and everything that goes with it, the whole big shebang,” she said. “To allow girls who may not have the opportunity to go out a buy a new dress " these are just as good, but they’re free, which makes them 10 times better. I hope a lot of girls don’t feel embarrassed, because I’m in the same boat as any of them. I don’t want to pay $300 for a prom dress. I hope they feel comfortable with us and come and give us a shot.”
Proms and prayers
Lairame said the “customers” will have many dresses from which to choose thanks to the UT sorority women. “Hopefully a lot of people will come and not feel embarrassed by it, because we’re not here to judge. We’re here so you can get a prom dress, and we’ll pray for you and give you a card to let you know we’re praying for you the week of your prom.” Each girl will also receive a New Testament.
Although Louisa is not yet old enough to attend prom, she said she is glad to be helping girls who otherwise would be unable to go. “There are a lot of cute dresses,” she said.
The dresses are up-to-date and are in all sizes and many different styles and colors. Dressing rooms will be available so participants can try on their favorites and see how they look in one of several full-length mirrors. Cake and punch will be served.
The church family has been very supportive of the project, including Jason Salyer, youth minister, and his wife, Bethany, who is working with the Acteens.
“This is going to be a nice setup,” the minister said.
Angela Anderson requested that anyone who would like to offer discounted hairstyles, manicures, corsages, etc., contact the church for information on how to become involved. Ginger Pope, of Blackberry Jewelry, has donated quite a bit of her handmade jewelry, for example.
“If a florist would like to join us, that would be wonderful,” Anderson said.
The prom dress giveaway is definitely a blessing for families who are still facing economic hardships.
“Some of the girls who were here last year said if we hadn’t done this, they wouldn’t have been able to go to prom,” Anderson said. “One story that really stuck with me was, one girl’s parents had told her she could go her senior year, then her senior year came and her dad got laid off, so she wasn’t going to be able to go. She came and picked out wonderful things, and was so appreciative.
“We’re doing this out of love, no judgement, no questions. If you need a dress, come and take one.”
