By Sarah Whitman
Senior Staff Writer
When a girl decides to go to prom the first thing she asks herself is, ‘What am I going to wear?’
Unfortunately the cost of being transformed from high school kid to princess is high.
To help girls from all economic situations enjoy the big night, the Cinderella Project returns for its sixth year, supplying free dresses to Pasco County high school students.
The boutique will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 24 at 6321 N. Boulevard in New Port Richey. All girls need to bring is a student I.D.
In past years, there have been two boutiques, one for West and one for East Pasco. This year, things worked out differently.
“We depend on someone stepping up to donate a place and this year no one did in East Pasco,” said project co-founder Laurie Weiss. “We hope girls from that area will still make the trip to the boutique.”
Weiss and friend Allison Crumbley started the Cinderella Project to help parents and girls alike. They were inspired by the Pinellas version of the Cinderella Project, which dissolved a few years ago. When they brought the idea to Pasco, it was a labor of love. Both women are mothers of three girls and understood the cause.
“I know what it’s like getting girls ready for prom and how expensive it can be,” Crumbley said. “I also know the dress they wear is important to them. That’s why we try and collect dresses in every style and color.”
Collections for the Cinderella Project began in January. In February, business owners and prominent people throughout Pasco attended the Cinderella Ball, a fundraiser sponsored by the Pasco Education Foundation to collect donations. Monetary donations went to purchase dresses in uncommon sizes.
Clothing donations came from individuals, stores and groups. About 800 new and used dresses were sorted through for the final boutique.
Weiss said more than half should be usable.
Volunteer Jill Sellars was in charge of getting the word out in Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes. She has led the project in East Pasco for six years.
“I collected a lot of dresses this time,” she said. “Some of them still have the tags on them. They’re really nice. I know I would wear them.”
To promote the event and bring girls to the store, the Cinderella Project advertised at Pasco County high schools by passing out flyers and running promotions on the morning shows. Sellars went to Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass and Zephyrhills high schools.
“We rely a lot on word of mouth,” Sellars said. “Guidance counselors are a big help with letting the girls know about us.”
More than 150 girls used the service last year. Weiss said she hopes to see even more this time around. She said there is something for everyone.
“Just about every girl that comes in should be able to find a dress they like,” she said. “We’ve only ever had one or two girls leave without something.”
Girls can try on as many dresses as they like at the boutique, which is being set up like a high-end specialty store. The boutique will have more than dresses for shoppers to sort through.
“We have a room filled with dresses and a room filled with accessories from shoes to tiaras,” Weiss said.
The boutique is designed to make dress shopping a fairy tale. Volunteers will pamper the girls from the moment they walk in the front door.
“They’ll be waited on hand and foot,” Crumbley said. “We want them to have a good time with it.”
Sellars said it’s fun for everyone involved.
“Last year, after the girls were done shopping a bunch of us volunteers tried on the leftover dresses and had a fashion show for ourselves,” she said. “This event is really a lot of fun and it helps a lot of girls.”
The Cinderella Project in sponsored in part by the Pasco Education Foundation. For information, call (813) 794-2705.
