Woman ensures girls have attire for prom, graduation
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A graduate of Simcoe Composite School, Tracy Renton well remembers the excitement surrounding her high school prom.
“It was so much fun, getting a dress, getting your hair and make-up done with all of the other girls,” Renton, 48, recalled. “It was that way for me and for my own kids.
“Graduating from Grade 8 and high school is a big deal and should be a favourite memory for everyone.”
Renton is doing what she can to make sure every girl and young woman in the area has the Grade 8 graduation and high school prom experience.
On Saturday, she held her second and now annual Free Prom and Grad Dress giveaway at the Simcoe Public Library.
“I heard about a program like this in Woodstock a year or so ago and hearing about it took me back to my own prom,” Renton said. “I figured that if there was a need in Woodstock, there's probably a need here in Norfolk and so I started a free grad and prom dress giveaway here.
“It also includes accessories like shoes, purses and jewelry all of which has been donated.”
Last year's giveaway - Renton's first – was put together at the last minute but she was still able to help out 15 girls and young women. A year later, with a little bit of experience behind her and more time to prepare, Renton was able to help out a lot more people.
“I think we had something like 75 girls and young women come through here today,” Renton said. “I think everyone was able to get a dress and for those who needed them, some accessories as well.”
One thing's for sure, Renton added, the giveaway is needed.
“Dresses, like the kind you wear to a prom these days, are really expensive,” Renton said. “I've heard that some prom dresses cost as much as $800 and for the Grade 8 grad dresses, people have to spend a couple of hundred dollars.
“Not everyone can afford to do that especially if you're a single-parent mom or dad.”
And, Renton added, young girls in Grade 8 and at the end of high school want to fit in with other students.
“The way I see it, everyone young girl and young woman should have this experience and if there are nice dresses out there that can be used again, then we should make sure they're used,” Renton said.
The initiative is getting a boost from Port Dover clothing designer Stephanie Moscall-Varey, who has offered to do free alterations to the dresses.
“So far I have about five dresses I'll be working on,” Moscall-Varey said. “Many of the dresses chosen by their new owners were a good fit.”
Meanwhile, the giveaway on Saturday was so successful, Renton is holding a second event this year.
Families of young girls and women who need a special dress for the big occasion can text Renton at 519-410-3897 or contact her on Facebook through Tracy Maxwell-Renton. A second giveaway is being held April 10 at the Simcoe library from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Renton, meanwhile, is already looking forward to holding the giveaway again in 2019.
“I think there are more people who could probably take advantage of this program and I'm looking for ways of spreading the word about this program probably through social media,” she said. “I'm also looking to develop a name maybe something like 'Say Yes to the Prom Dress.'
Say Yes to the Dress is a popular reality television show that appears on TLC. It follows events at Kleinfeld Bridal in Manhattan as the staff help a bride as she tries to come up with the perfect wedding dress.
Brantford Expositor
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