LIMA — Vi’shaan Cummings was looking close at several prom dresses searching for the perfect one to wear to her prom at Lima Senior High School in a couple of months.
“I think I’m going with the black one,” she said. “I usually look for a color and how I think it will fit me.”
Vi’shaan, 17, chose a black strapless for the special event that will be the final dance she attends as a high school student. She’s going with her brother and some friends because her fiancé is away in the Marine Corps.
Vi’shaan was one of about 100 girls looking for a prom dress Saturday at the Diva’s Den event run by the Kiwanis Club of Lima. Gently used prom dresses are given away at no charge to the girls.
Girls came from all over for the event, as far away as Paulding, said Candace Newland, a Kiwanis Club member helping with the event at the Lima Masonic Center on North Cole Street.
“The whole purpose is to give out free prom dresses for girls who would like a free prom dress. A lot of times they have been worn one time. Some still have tags on them. Some they bought them and didn’t wear them,” Newland said.
All dresses are donated. Duffy’s Cleaners on Shawnee Road cleans and presses the dresses. Girls had an estimated 300 dresses to choose from ranging in size from 2 to 24.
There were all types of colors and styles.
“I can’t say any one thing stands out. It just depends on the girl’s taste,” Newland said. “We are doing this early because girls are shopping early.”
Merideth Crumrine was with her 15-year-old daughter, Aubrey Kaufman, looking for a dress for her prom at Wapakoneta High School. Crumrine said it’s a great event and gives girls a chance to get a dress who may not be able to afford one.
“I think this is wonderful. Absolutely wonderful somebody in our area does something like this for anyone who wants to come in and get something and also donate, as well,” Crumrine said.
There were a variety of reasons girls were there looking for a dress. Some were looking to save the money for college. For some, it was financial reason that brought them to the event, Newland said.
Prom dresses start at $250 and go up from there in price, Newland said.
“We have some girls who are picking a charity to give that money to a charity rather than spending that money on dresses,” Newland said.
Some girls picked up a second dress for the fall homecoming dance, Newland said.
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