Although nearly four decades have past, I can still remember my prom night. It is one of the first rights of passage in becoming an adult, and for many, just like me, something that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.
Although nearly four decades have past, I can still remember my prom night. It is one of the first rights of passage in becoming an adult, and for many, just like me, something that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.
Over the previous summer, I finally went steady with a girl I fell in love with in eighth grade. We were exited about prom night, but it almost did not happen. She could not afford a prom dress. It was not because the family was poor, it was because she came from a large family and the expense of a prom dress was a luxury that they could not afford. Against my mother’s wishes, I took money out of my savings and we bought her dress. I remember the look on my mother’s face when I told her I spent $85 (a lot of money in 1977), but it was worth every penny when I picked her up and saw her in all of her beauty. It is a decision that I never regretted.
Many think that prom night is frivolous and many parents are just terrified because they remember the things they did at that age. But I am a strong believer that this is one of the most fun and in many ways important nights of a teenager’s life as they finish high school and move forward in life as a young adult.
There are many that cannot afford a beautiful dress to celebrate this momentous occasion in the life of a teenager, but the San Diego County Library is doing something extraordinary to help make some young women’s dreams come true.
The County Library is asking for donations of prom dresses between now and April 18 and donations can be delivered to any library in the county. They are in need of gently used formal gowns less than five years old and in good condition and appropriate for young women between grades 9-12. They call it the Princess Project, a non-profit group dedicated to promoting self-confidence and individual beauty.
On April 18, here at the El Cajon Branch Library from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., young women that cannot afford a prom dress can come and pick one out.
The project is looking for dresses of all styles, colors and sizes and I truly believe that donating that dress that you may never wear again can become a lifelong memory for many young women that might not stand a chance for such a memory.
Even if you are holding on to that special dress for sentimental reasons, I can think of no better way to honor that by giving a young woman the chance to have her own memory of a lifetime.
But I would like to see East County take it a step further and ask the businesses to jump in and help make a memorable difference in a young woman’s life. There are so many formal boutiques throughout this area that create beautiful gowns in every style. Why not make a donation of a new dress for what I consider a very worthy cause. And it would not hurt many businesses to go out and buy a dress for donation. I see the heart of the businesses in East County, as many of them are continuously donating time, money and goods for a good cause.
This cause is as good as any and the results of your charity will bring that self-confidence and empowerment to some young woman in the area in need.
If you, or your child is in the position of not being able to buy a prom dress, you can sign up for one at the El Cajon Library at (619) 588-3718 or visit www.princessproject.org.
If you want to make a difference in one young woman’s life, then make a donation of a memory that will last a lifetime.
