Donated dresses put prom in reach of teens short on money

By Erin Dostal

Thursday, March 25, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

Las Vegas Prom Closet

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For many high school girls, prom is a fairy tale. It’s their chance to dress up like a princess and dance the night away with their Prince Charming.

But for those who don’t have money to spare, that dream can sometimes be out of reach. That’s where Las Vegas Prom Closet comes to the rescue.

Las Vegas Prom Closet is operated by a group of about 25 volunteers who collect donated dresses and accessories for those who could not otherwise afford the prom.

For seven years, the group has distributed dresses in their “store,” a warehouse or gym converted to look like a mall.

Group director and volunteer Shannon Bilbray said that last year, the group gave out about 350 dresses. This year, it expects to distribute even more because of the down economy.

Last year, the line was out the door, she said. Girls with giant smiles on their faces shuffled into the store and tried on dresses, shoes and jewelry.

“It does the heart good,” Bilbray said. “It’s a short day, and you see lots of happy young women.”

This year, the Prom Closet will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at UNLV’s Cox Pavilion’s Practice Gym. An active Clark County School District ID is required to participate.

Chloe Spilotro, 15, a volunteer and sophomore at The Meadows School in Las Vegas, said her favorite part of last year’s event was watching how happy the girls were as they tried on dresses. One teen told her that Prom Closet made it possible for her to attend her prom.

“I love that I get to reach out to the community that I don’t see every day,” Spilotro said. “It makes such a difference.”

For those who want to contribute to the Prom closet, dresses in good condition can be donated at Jessica McClintock at Fashion Show Mall; Marquis & Aurbach, 10001 Park Run Drive, Las Vegas; Patrick Simone, D.D.S., 70 N. Pecos Road, Henderson; and Cooper Levenson, 6060 Elton Ave., Las Vegas.

Dresses in all sizes, colors and styles are needed.

Simone Salen, store manager at Jessica McClintock, said her store gives a 15 percent discount to anyone who donates a dress to Prom Closet.

“It was something I wanted to get on board with and really help,” Salen said.

Salen’s store has collected about 150 dresses so far this year. The store will continue collecting dresses through May 1 for this year’s and next year’s Prom Closet events.

Salen said prom is more than a dance. “Prom is a milestone,” she said.

For more information about Las Vegas Prom Closet, visit www.LVPromcloset.com.