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Lee's Summit, MO —
The Woods Chapel United Methodist Church has been hosting a prom boutique for the last eight years. Fern Truschke Stuart said the goal is to provide high school girls with limited financial resources an opportunity to go shopping for a free dress. More than 2,000 new or almost-new dresses are available and range in sizes from 0 to 28. Basic alterations are also available to ensure that each dress fits the girls perfectly.
This year’s boutique is from noon to 7 p.m. March 23 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 24 and 31 at Woods Chapel United Methodist Church, 4725 N.E. Lakewood Way in Lee’s Summit.
The church is still looking for community donations of new or gently used prom dresses, shoes, evening bags, jewelry, undergarments or cash donations. Donations can be brought to the church between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, contact 816-795-8848.
What is the Prom Boutique? How many years have you been doing it?
The Prom Boutique began in 1998 in the cramped office of Sonia Clogston, a case worker for the state of Missouri who dealt primarily with girls in foster care or other care organizations. Before long, the dresses were exploding out of the office doors. In 2005, Sonia partnered with the Woods Chapel United Methodist Church and the Prom Boutique has grown ever since. In 2011, we gave away more than 1,800 beautiful dresses to area teen girls and various social agencies.
Why is this an important event for the community?
There are many girls in our community who are unable to attend their prom due to the expenses associated with the event. Woods Chapel Church has worked to expand the event to include any girl who might not have adequate financial resources. We have a policy that no girl is turned away, so anyone who feels like they have need can come select a dress.
What is the goal of this event? How many girls would you like to help?
We want to help every girl who attends the Prom Boutique find a dress that makes them feel beautiful. We will have more than 2,000 dresses and would love to find a girl for each dress.
What is the most rewarding part of this event for you?
There are so many stories. The dad who got tears in his eyes when his daughter walked around the corner in her dress. He said, ‘we drove two hours to see this moment. Thank you.’ The young lady who was just thrilled with her new dress and wanted to make a donation. All she had was 41 cents, but she gave it to us. The mom in a wheelchair who got special permission from hospice to accompany her daughter to the boutique and see her try on dresses. In 2011, we ran out of the white sheets that make up the walls of our dressing rooms. We made a quick trip to the neighboring Quality Inn to borrow some, and the manager there came out with an entire box of sheets and donated them to us. The 90-year-old lady who picked out an age-appropriate dress to go to her ‘senior’ prom. She wasn’t able to go to her high school prom 72 years ago, and it was on her “bucket list.” Her caregivers and our boutique helped make her dream come true.
The Woods Chapel United Methodist Church has been hosting a prom boutique for the last eight years. Fern Truschke Stuart said the goal is to provide high school girls with limited financial resources an opportunity to go shopping for a free dress. More than 2,000 new or almost-new dresses are available and range in sizes from 0 to 28. Basic alterations are also available to ensure that each dress fits the girls perfectly.
This year’s boutique is from noon to 7 p.m. March 23 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 24 and 31 at Woods Chapel United Methodist Church, 4725 N.E. Lakewood Way in Lee’s Summit.
The church is still looking for community donations of new or gently used prom dresses, shoes, evening bags, jewelry, undergarments or cash donations. Donations can be brought to the church between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, contact 816-795-8848.
What is the Prom Boutique? How many years have you been doing it?
The Prom Boutique began in 1998 in the cramped office of Sonia Clogston, a case worker for the state of Missouri who dealt primarily with girls in foster care or other care organizations. Before long, the dresses were exploding out of the office doors. In 2005, Sonia partnered with the Woods Chapel United Methodist Church and the Prom Boutique has grown ever since. In 2011, we gave away more than 1,800 beautiful dresses to area teen girls and various social agencies.
Why is this an important event for the community?
There are many girls in our community who are unable to attend their prom due to the expenses associated with the event. Woods Chapel Church has worked to expand the event to include any girl who might not have adequate financial resources. We have a policy that no girl is turned away, so anyone who feels like they have need can come select a dress.
What is the goal of this event? How many girls would you like to help?
We want to help every girl who attends the Prom Boutique find a dress that makes them feel beautiful. We will have more than 2,000 dresses and would love to find a girl for each dress.
What is the most rewarding part of this event for you?
There are so many stories. The dad who got tears in his eyes when his daughter walked around the corner in her dress. He said, ‘we drove two hours to see this moment. Thank you.’ The young lady who was just thrilled with her new dress and wanted to make a donation. All she had was 41 cents, but she gave it to us. The mom in a wheelchair who got special permission from hospice to accompany her daughter to the boutique and see her try on dresses. In 2011, we ran out of the white sheets that make up the walls of our dressing rooms. We made a quick trip to the neighboring Quality Inn to borrow some, and the manager there came out with an entire box of sheets and donated them to us. The 90-year-old lady who picked out an age-appropriate dress to go to her ‘senior’ prom. She wasn’t able to go to her high school prom 72 years ago, and it was on her “bucket list.” Her caregivers and our boutique helped make her dream come true.
