CENTERBURG — Saturday’s “Say Yes to the Dress” event was a sure success as girls from all around the area patronized the Prom Boutique jointly sponsored by the Centerburg Church of Christ and the Heart of Ohio Women’s Club.
The Prom Boutique was a busy place as high school girls, with the help of family members and friends, browsed through the free merchandise. There were racks of dresses and gowns from which to choose, ample fitting room space where selections could be tried on for size and refreshments to re-energize the shoppers.
Shoppers included students from Ashley, Big Walnut, Centerburg, East Knox, Mount Vernon and Utica, and they all seemed to be having fun picking out free shoes and jewelry to go with their new dresses, too. They also took time to check out displays for makeup and nail tips, spray tanning, hairstyles, corsages and boutonnieres, and entered drawings for items such as free manicures and pedicures. Some girls even brought in their dresses from last year to exchange for a new one.
Northridge High School’s Kaela Hatfield was one of the satisfied customers. She thought the Prom Boutique was a great idea.
“I think giving away a dress is pretty cool,” she said. “I like it.”
“I think it’s really helpful for most girls,” said Utica’s Alex Preston. “Just to come and experience it even if they don’t get a dress. It’s good to see what choices there are.”
Nancy Visintine was helping her daughter pick out an outfit.
“I love it,” she said of the Prom Boutique. “It’s a real blessing for everybody.”
Two foreign exchange students attending Utica High School, Terri Dam and Julia Belascho, were especially caught up in all the excitement.
“We are enjoying our time here,” said Dam. “In my country we don’t have prom, so this is a first for me. I think it is really awesome that I don’t have to purchase a dress. They have such beautiful dresses here.”
“I’m just excited because it’s all for free,” added Belascho.
Home-schooled students were also welcome at the event including Gabriella Sanchez and Emily Vines.
“I think it’s awesome,” said Sanchez, who was choosing a dress for a Celtic Ball. “It’s really cool.”
Vines concurred.
“I also thought it was really cool,” she said. “It’s a really neat ministry to let people come in and get dresses.”
Ronda Seligman of the Heart of Ohio Women’s Club said she was pleased with the great turnout, and was grateful for the chance to make so many girls happy.
“This was our first year to try this,” she said, “and we hope we can do it again next year.”
