Used gowns to get another go-around
By KERRY McAVOY / The Leader-HeraldFONDA - High school girls who don't want to spend a small fortune on their prom dresses could save some money when the Fonda-Fultonville High School class of 2010 conducts a sale of "gently used" prom gowns this month.
The event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 22 in the auditorium at the high school, 112 Old Johnstown Road. Proceeds will benefit the school's annual after-prom party.
Event coordinator Sharon Kline said every dress will have a price tag of $75. New prom dresses often sell for hundreds of dollars.
From the sale of each used dress, $50 will go to the original owner and $25 will go to the after-prom fund. Dresses that are not purchased will be returned.
"If we sell four dresses, that's $100 more toward the after-prom fund," Kline said.
Current and former students already have donated about 10 dresses, and Kline encourages others in the community to contribute more.
"We will be accepting donations of used dresses up until Jan. 14," she said.
To sell a dress, one may drop it off with Kline at the elementary school or fill out a slip at the high school office. Dresses also may be given to the front desks at the elementary and middle school.
Kline said the idea grew out of discussions her daughter and her friends had about possibly trading dresses for dances. Many girls own dresses they have worn only once, she said.
"With the economy the way it is, a lot of people are saying they have extra dresses they'd like to sell," Kline said. "It may help girls out who are looking to go to the prom but can't afford it."
Kline said she would like to get girls from other schools involved.
"They wouldn't know the person they were purchasing the dress from, so it would be more anonymous," Kline said.
The after-prom party takes place at the school from 1 to 5 a.m. and offers students a safe, alcohol- and drug-free environment to spend the night. Kline said the event features a hypnotist, dodge ball, ice cream sundaes and a bounce house for students. There are also raffles of items such as iPods.
Each class can only start fundraising in the spring of its junior year, so funds need to come in quickly for the event.
"We try to put it on for as inexpensive as possible, but it is expensive to entertain a large group of teens," she said.
The used dress sale will take place after a fashion show that will include dresses from A Fine Romance. Students from the class of 2010 will model the dresses, and vendors will be on hand to display everything from limousines to hairstyles. Tickets for combined admission to the fashion show and sale cost $5.
"I hope it goes over well and it is well received," Kline said.
Kerry McAvoy covers Montgomery County. She can be reached at montco@leaderherald.com
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lizzie
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01-08-09 6:12 PM
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CJ, How could anyone prevent you from eating dinner out before you arrive at the prom? How would anyone know what you were doing before you got there? Go out and have dinner - don't eat at the prom, or take a place and pretend to eat.
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justcurious
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01-08-09 6:07 PM
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CJ...consider yourself fortunate to have even attended such an event as many young men and women throughout the area will miss out due to the economy. Another thing to consider, these post prom parties are not cheap, nor are funds readily available...maybe if you had done your class duty and sold your fundraisers your school could have had so much more!
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Sparky
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01-08-09 2:26 PM
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CJ, Sounds like the Fonda prom and post-prom party wasn't your cup of tea, but I am guessing there were a lot of people who tried to make it as fun and nice as possible. I wasn't involved and don't have a personal stake in this matter, but I am sure the organizers weren't paid and probably had other things they could have been doing with their time. Hopefully, this year you will dedicate your time to help make the Fonda Prom and Post Prom party (or any other community's party where you live) better and hopefully you don't get criticized for trying to do something good.
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Sparky
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01-08-09 2:16 PM
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Great idea! Sounds like everyone wins in that situation. Nice job to those who came up and are implementing the idea.
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resident69
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01-08-09 1:53 PM
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hey CJ, were you invited to Fonda's or did you attend school there? Same question for the Johnstown Prom you mentioned... just wondering. Some people think they are "DJ's and they are not. Mommy and daddy bought them equipment or they use home stereo equiptment. I have seen one that used window media player and had to wait for each song to completely end before getting the next one to start. You get what you pay for!
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candlelady
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01-08-09 1:03 PM
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Excellent idea! I paid $600 for a prom dress, purse & shawl for my daughter last year and it all still sits in her room. I hope Gloversville advisors are paying attention and do this for our school.
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CJmajor
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01-08-09 12:40 PM
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Yea thats a REALLY good idea! BUT FONDA'S WHOLE PROM IS A JOKE! 1. YOU HAVE TO EAT THERE NO PROM DINNER WITH YOUR DATE BEFORE. 2. STUPID FASHION SHOW ACT THAT LASTS 2 HOURS AND ALL YOU DO IS GET CALLED OUT ON TO THE STAGE AND PEOPLE TAKE PICTURES. 3. THERE IS NO TIME TO DANCE. MAYBE 2 HOURS OUT OF THE 5 HOURS YOUR AT THE ACTUAL PROM. DJ WAS HORRIBLE! 4. THE POST PROM HAS NOTHING TO DO THERE! THEY HAD A LASER TAG GAME, SOME STUPID HIPPI 3D SIMULATOR WHERE YOU SAT IN A LAWN CHAIR, FOOD THAT WAS GONE WITHIN THE FIRST HOUR, AND THE SAME HYPNOTIST EVERY AREA HIGH SCHOOL GETS FOR POST PROM AND HAS GOT FOR THE PAST 4-5 YEARS. I WENT TO JOHNSTOWN AND WE HAD MAKE YOUR OWN MOVIE, A CARTOONIST WHO DID PICTURES OF YOU, VOLLEYBALL TOURNY, A BLOW UP SLIDE, A GAME SHOW (FAMILY FUED), THE HYPNOTIST, FACE PAINTING, FOOD, AND A HUMAN PHOSEBALL GAME. AT JOHNSTOWN YOU WERE ALWAYS BUSY DOING STUFF. FONDA WAS BORING!!! Hopefully they can use the money on things highschool kids would find i
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resident69
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01-08-09 11:53 AM
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Smart move, lots of areas do this. After prom parties keep kids safe... more people should help the cost of sponsoring them.
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