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Affordable options for promgoers

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Luverne High School student organizes prom dresses to be borrowed
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By
Mavis Fodness

A Luverne High School senior wants every high school girl to have a chance to experience prom.
Zoe Brown is coordinating a prom dress exchange with ATLAS of Rock County to make that happen. For the cost of dry cleaning, any area high schooler can borrow a glamorous dress for the special night.
“I noticed that some people may not be able to attend prom because of the expenses and thought that this would be a good solution to offer,” she said. “Prom is an experience you can only have in high school.”
According to a recent story on Huffington Post.com, the biggest expense high schoolers encounter is prom. The average U.S. family spends more than $900.
The dress is one of the largest expenses.
Brown said her mom, Mary, has sewn her and her sister’s dresses for the past several years.
“I get exactly what I want in a dress and I don’t have to worry about the expenses as it is much cheaper homemade,” she said.
Brown’s sparkling gowns will be among the choices for those looking for an affordable option to attend their local proms. She is also looking for others to step forward with dresses to lend.
The project works by people donating the use of a dress by bringing the garment(s) to the ALTAS office on Main Street Luverne during their office hours. ATLAS staff will catalog the dresses and return the dresses to the owners once prom events are completed.
Brown will assist students in need of a dress in the selection process. ATLAS has a dedicated storage room that includes a changing area for the project.
“After prom you will need to get it (the dress) dry-cleaned and then return it to ATLAS,” Brown said.
Costs for dry cleaning range from $10.95 to more than $20.
“It (the cost) depends on if it is short or long (in length) and whether it has 10 layers or 40 layers,” said Jim Carrow with Carrow’s Cleaners in Marshall.
Carrow’s picks up and drops off garments at several area locations. The locations include Glen’s Food Center in Luverne, Closet to Closet in Adrian and Drooger’s Food Center in Edgerton.
Borrowing a prom dress is open to students in Adrian, Edgerton, Ellsworth, Hills and Luverne. Anyone is welcome to donate the use of a dress if brought to the ATLAS office.
Area prom events are scheduled for late April and early May.
According to their respective school calendars, Edgerton and Hills-Beaver Creek proms are April 22. Adrian has set its prom for April 30, the same day as Ellsworth and Luverne. Southwest Christian’s event in Edgerton is May 6.
Brown said she would accept dresses to be borrowed until the first week in March and begin contacting borrowers soon thereafter. A week before the prom event, borrowers may pick up dresses. Lenders of a dress or dresses will have their cleaned garments returned to them in May.
“My hope is that everyone who wants to go to prom is able to,” Brown said. “This is not just for people who cannot afford it but also for those who don’t want to spend a lot on a dress this year.”
ATLAS of Rock County is located on the second floor of the Cragoe Realty building at 201 E. Main St. in Luverne. Business hours are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call 449-5777 to make other arrangements.
Brown can be contacted through her personal Facebook page or by email zoebrown296@gmail.com.

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