Donated dresses to raise money for Mercy Ships
Issue date: 2/8/10 Section: News
This semester, leadership and honors society Omicron Delta Kappa will hold its third annual "Dresses for Dreams" program to help bring beautiful dresses to girls in the local community and to raise money for charity group Mercy Ships.
Last year's program collected more than 1,300 dresses from the SFA and Nacogdoches area, with sorority Chi Omega winning a prize for donating the most dresses of any other organization. A remarkable $2,800 was raised for the "Make a Wish" Foundation, and dozens of girls from the local high schools who came from low-income families were able to get elegant dresses for formals and proms at a cheap price.
"We saw many girls leave with a smile on their face and a great dress to match it," said ODK secretary and Brenham senior Jessica Lewis.
Many of the young women who come to purchase dresses may not have otherwise had the funds to make for a beautiful prom night.
"What I like about Dresses for Dreams," Lewis said, "is that young girls are given a chance to go to prom and have a great time without anyone having to know that they did not have money for a dress." She mentioned one shopper who was able to buy an entire prom wardrobe for just $40 at last year's sale.
ODK president and Spring senior Sydni Mitchell said Dresses for Dreams is an important event for the organization.
"We have seen that there is a gap between the SFA campus and the Nacogdoches community, and we feel that this will help to bridge that gap…(and to also show Nacogdoches residents that we do care about the town."
Notable as a unique and fun sort of service program, Dresses for Dreams was originally thought up by an ODK member in 2007, and it has been growing significantly since. The organization hopes that this year's collection and sale will be another big success.
This spring, ODK will be teaming up with the Yellow House to run Dresses for Dreams The dresses will be sold out of the Yellow House on Showcase Saturday weekend, March 26 and 27. The dress sale is open to all, and the hope is that students as well as community members will come out and "shop for a good cause."
All proceeds from sales will be put into a check to be presented to Mercy Ships, a charity organization which sends groups of doctors to countries in need to bring medical help to poverty-stricken areas.
"We are giving [these girls] the opportunity to buy a dress and be a princess for a night, and that is really what almost every girls wants," Mitchell said.
ODK begins collecting dresses today. Any students with a heart to donate are encouraged to give. Dresses, jewelry, handbags, or other prom accessories can be dropped off in the Office of Student Life on the third floor of the Baker Pattillo Student Center (PSC).
Omicron Delta Kappa is also currently recruiting students interested in leadership, academic honors, and community service. Applicants must have a junior, senior, or graduate student standing, and a GPA of 3.0 or higher. More information can be picked up in the Office of Student Life, third floor of the Student Center.
Last year's program collected more than 1,300 dresses from the SFA and Nacogdoches area, with sorority Chi Omega winning a prize for donating the most dresses of any other organization. A remarkable $2,800 was raised for the "Make a Wish" Foundation, and dozens of girls from the local high schools who came from low-income families were able to get elegant dresses for formals and proms at a cheap price.
"We saw many girls leave with a smile on their face and a great dress to match it," said ODK secretary and Brenham senior Jessica Lewis.
Many of the young women who come to purchase dresses may not have otherwise had the funds to make for a beautiful prom night.
"What I like about Dresses for Dreams," Lewis said, "is that young girls are given a chance to go to prom and have a great time without anyone having to know that they did not have money for a dress." She mentioned one shopper who was able to buy an entire prom wardrobe for just $40 at last year's sale.
ODK president and Spring senior Sydni Mitchell said Dresses for Dreams is an important event for the organization.
"We have seen that there is a gap between the SFA campus and the Nacogdoches community, and we feel that this will help to bridge that gap…(and to also show Nacogdoches residents that we do care about the town."
Notable as a unique and fun sort of service program, Dresses for Dreams was originally thought up by an ODK member in 2007, and it has been growing significantly since. The organization hopes that this year's collection and sale will be another big success.
This spring, ODK will be teaming up with the Yellow House to run Dresses for Dreams The dresses will be sold out of the Yellow House on Showcase Saturday weekend, March 26 and 27. The dress sale is open to all, and the hope is that students as well as community members will come out and "shop for a good cause."
All proceeds from sales will be put into a check to be presented to Mercy Ships, a charity organization which sends groups of doctors to countries in need to bring medical help to poverty-stricken areas.
"We are giving [these girls] the opportunity to buy a dress and be a princess for a night, and that is really what almost every girls wants," Mitchell said.
ODK begins collecting dresses today. Any students with a heart to donate are encouraged to give. Dresses, jewelry, handbags, or other prom accessories can be dropped off in the Office of Student Life on the third floor of the Baker Pattillo Student Center (PSC).
Omicron Delta Kappa is also currently recruiting students interested in leadership, academic honors, and community service. Applicants must have a junior, senior, or graduate student standing, and a GPA of 3.0 or higher. More information can be picked up in the Office of Student Life, third floor of the Student Center.
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