THUNDER BAY - Everyone has that special dress hanging in a closet and even if it doesn’t get taken off the hanger all that often anymore, you can give it a second life while helping an organization working to improve the lives of families and children in Thunder Bay.
More than 400 dresses have been collected so far during a dress drive for the Who Gives a Frock fundraiser to be held later this month in support of the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre.
This is the second year Who Gives a Frock had supported the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre. Dresses collected will be sold and auctioned off during the fundraiser and Mary Anne Comuzzi, a volunteer with Who Gives a Frock, said the event is about more than finding that special dress.
“It’s really a girl’s night out,” she said. “You come, you have valet parking, they take your coat, they get you a glass of bubbly, they serve the hors d’oeuvres; the women get pampered that night. It’s a great night for girls to get out and mingle.”
Dresses were being collected on Saturday at The Loop and JB Evans. Comuzzi said the response has been amazing again this year, with racks filling up only an hour after opening the drive.
“A lot of us have stuff in our closets that have shrunk and we can no longer wear them,” she said. “It’s nice to give it to an organization. You have really special dresses and you don’t want to part with them for any reason, but this is a great way to share them and donate to a great organization.”
Comuzzi expects there to be more than 800 dresses to choose from this year, and there will be something for everyone, no matter what you are looking for.
“We’ve got brand new wedding dresses, mother of the bride, prom dresses,” she said. “If anybody is looking for a dress for their high school or university or whatever, we’ve got it. Come on out and do your shopping that night and support a great organization.”
Who Gives a Frock will be held on Mar. 29 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Auto Home Paints. Dresses can still be donated after Saturday by contacting the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre or dropping them off at Auto Home Paints. For more information, visit the website.
