MANTEO, N.C. — Prom season is not too far off and this week students from northeastern North Carolina will head to a church in Manteo to get decked out for the dance, free of charge.
Last March I presented Quinn Capps, the founder of Project Glam Girls, the organization making this possible, an Everyday Hero award. This year she had a recommendation— Melva Draper, a worship leader and secretary at Manteo Faith Baptist Church, where the prom giveaway will be held.
We met Draper at the church, who took us up to the attic and showed us the donated formal wear stored there.
"You have some tuxes that have been donated; we have dresses that are sort of in sizes," said Draper.
There's roughly about 600 gently used gowns and in some cases, brand new, tucked away in the church attic.
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"The men of the church have built these for us so that we can store these dresses," she said.
They're about to be moved downstairs to be given out this week as teens are gearing up for the prom. Draper acknowledges it's a big effort.
"It is a lot of work," she said. "I have started working on this a month ago."
Quinn Capps, the founder of Project Glam Girls is a long-term sub at Manteo High School, and popped over to the church to help me surprise Draper, who fought back tears when I shared that Quinn thought she'd be an ideal person for a News 3 Everyday Hero.
Watch previous coverage: Peninsula organization gives away free prom dresses to girls in need
"No! I'm gonna cry," she said when we surprised her. "Don't do that. I would never thought this! Sometimes you work really hard on a project, and it's not that you want praise, but people don't really understand the energy and the time you put in."
I also told her our community partner Southern Bank wanted to give her a $300 Visa gift card.
"My gosh!" Draper exclaimed. "I am, I'm just floored, just floored! I had no idea!"
"Much deserved!" Quinn chimed in while hugging her. "She is the backbone, she is the organizer of all of this!"
Both of them got help Sunday afternoon from students at Manteo High, bringing all those clothes down from the attic--temporarily to the church's sanctuary--until they can be moved into the preschool area. Quinn says it's a quick turnaround, "We'll start tearing this room down on Wednesday, then by 8 o'clock that night---this is the boutique."
Draper stressed it's a big deal to these families that this event is free.
"Oh they're flabbergasted," she said. "You know, I know a lot of people say the economy is fine, well maybe, but groceries and clothes and proms are definitely out of people's ability to pay these days."
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And even though it's called Project Glam Girls, there is formal wear for the guys as well. It all kicks off this Thursday and runs through Saturday at Manteo Faith Baptist Church. Again, it's free, but a reminder they are supported by donations and still have a great need for plus-size dresses.
Quinn also wants to get the word out to anyone who can help, she'd love to have a permanent store-front to house all these clothes.
"But if we had a space that we could set up and just be set up, we could accommodate the eighth-grade dances, accommodate the Night to Shine for our special needs community. We could accommodate for homecoming or any occasion...any occasion."
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Quinn says for the students who miss the Project Glam Girls event, the clothes go back up to the church attic and are stored in tight quarters. But some students still reach out to her.
"And I just am not able to help them because of our situation. We're grateful, we're very grateful we have this space but to really accommodate these kids, I need a space I can have set up all the time....it breaks my heart."
If you can help out or need more info, you can contact Quinn at projectglamgirls@gmail.com. Also below is more information about donation locations and the hours this week for Project Glam Girls.
