Playing fairy godmother
Midlothian Jr. Woman's Club collects prom dresses and accessories for teens on a budget
By Sande Snead CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Members of the Midlothian Junior Woman's Club including Aleise Matheson (left) and Michelle Jamieson are collecting prom dresses and accessories for teens on a budget as part of the Cinderella Dreams Project.

Imagine if you were living the Cinderella fairytale. You get invited to the ball, but then realize you have nothing to wear, and no funds to buy that perfect gown. Fortunately, county high school students wishing to attend their prom need not have a fairy godmother to make their wishes come true thanks to Q94 and the Midlothian Junior Woman's Club. These organizations collect prom dresses and ball gowns as part of the Cinderella Dreams Project.

Started and run by another Junior Woman's Club for about five years, the Cinderella Dreams Project was picked up by the Midlothian club about eight years ago. The club took a year off, but otherwise has collected and distributed prom dresses each year ever since. Local radio station WRVQ began its own Cinderella Dreams Project about six years ago. Last year, the two organizations joined forces.

The Cinderella Dreams Project provides prom dresses for area high school girls who are on a tight budget. From Feb. 15-Mar. 23, gowns and accessories are being collected at all metro Richmond YMCAs. Donated gowns should be from 2002 or more recent, in new or like-new condition and dry cleaned. Accessories should be in new or like-new condition.

"We're really looking for new accessories like shoes, panty hose and hair accessories," said Laura Turianski, Q94's promotions director. "We're also hoping to work with restaurants, limos and florists to cover the whole gamut of prom-related businesses who want to help make the night one to remember."

Q94 typically collects 200 to 300 gowns each year ending up with more gowns than girls, which gives prom goers more dresses to choose from.

"We're seeing more and more dresses being donated each year," Turianski said. "People are starting to remember this program from years past. Also, the girls are less skeptical."

Midlothian Junior Woman's Club President Aleise Matheson said the merged programs last year took in 500 to 1,000 gowns.

"We've had a tremendous response and have had numerous groups, school clubs and churches collect things, solicit donations and ask how they could help," Matheson said. "Only one member in our club has a teenage daughter, but all of our members like to shop, and we see the prices out there these days. This is a truly important and needed program for these girls."

Q94's Turianski agrees. "(Q94 Radio Personality) Melissa (Chase) and I remember our proms, and we can't imagine getting asked to go to the dance, getting excited about it, and then realizing that you can't pay for it. This is a really good thing for the radio station to do for the community."

Collected dresses and accessories will be available from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Mar. 31 at the Midlothian Family YMCA, 737 Coalfield Road. Girls are allowed to try on and select their favorite dress for free, but a $5 donation is suggested. Girls are helped on a first come, first served basis.

Cinderella Dreams

The Cinderella Dreams Project, which provides prom dresses for local teens on a tight budget, is currently collecting donated gowns from 2002 or later, in new or like-new condition and dry cleaned. Accessories are also needed. Dresses and accessories can be dropped off at any metro Richmond YMCA until Mar. 23. For more information about the Cinderella Dreams Project, call 763-1711 or visit

www.cinderelladreams.net.