Sorting through new formal dresses received at Harmony Closet’s Prom Dress Exchange from Something Blue are (from left) Linda Zaletel, Anne Zaletel,
Elizabeth Gindt, Giada Colbeck, Ava Vanderhayden, and Sarah Gilchrist.
Harmony Clothing Closet in Nevada scored a significant gift from a local business this holiday season.
More than 100 new prom, homecoming, and formal event dresses from Something Blue were delivered to Harmony’s Prom Dress Exchange room on the upper level of Harmony Clothing Closet.
Sarah Gilchrist, a project manager for Something Blue, made the delivery. Gilchrist said Something Blue is not going to carry the homecoming and prom lines in the future, as the business will focus entirely on weddings and event décor.
“Harmony was our first thought” as to where the beautiful dresses could go, she shared. “We know that prom can be really expensive, and we wanted to help make sure the cost (of buying a dress) isn’t prohibitive to anyone who wants to participate.”
Gilchrist said the dresses are from Something Blue and a New Hampshire bridal shop, A Day to Remember, with which Something Blue has a relationship.
Elizabeth Gindt, coordinator at Harmony Clothing Closet, was on hand to receive the dresses with several additional volunteers. One of the first hurdles was getting the big boxes filled with dresses up the narrow Harmony staircase. Elizabeth’s husband, Aaron, and volunteer Anne Zaletel handled most of the heavy lifting.
“It is really awesome to have a new influx of dresses that are modern and very stylish to offer the girls in this community and the surrounding communities,” Gindt said.
According to Gindt, the Prom Dress Exchange receives steady use, loaning out dresses for all sorts of dances and events and even lending to community members for formal events. “We’ve even gotten college girls who come and borrow dresses for formal events,” she noted.
Volunteers were having fun pulling the beautiful dresses from the boxes they’d been transported in and then sorting the dresses by style and color.
A reminder to residents: Harmony Clothing Closet is open for shopping most Monday evenings from 4-7 p.m. The Prom Dress Exchange is also open when you make an appointment. Email Gindt for details: egindt@nevadacubs.org.
–Written by Marlys Barker, City of Nevada
