Dressing like a queen for prom night

The Dothan Service League is providing the opportunity for young women in the Wiregrass area to dress like a queen for prom night or any other special “dress-up” occasion through its inaugural Boutique Sale April 3-4. The event will be held in the Fellowship Hall of Covenant United Methodist Church, 3610 W. Main St. in Dothan.

Members of the Service League have collected more than 200 gowns, dresses, suits and pant suits for this event. Many of these items still have their store tags on them and have never been worn. The majority have been worn only once.

“We’re trying something new,” said Emily Stewart, president of the Dothan Service League as she explained the significance of the Boutique Sale. “We’re recycling some beautiful gowns and dresses that are suitable for proms and dances. To my knowledge, this has never been done in this community.”

The prices for the clothing will range from $10 to $50 for items that cost far more when they were first purchased.

The items in the sale will be available for preview Friday, April 3, from 5-7 p.m. at CUMC. There is a $5 donation fee to take part in the preview. “Any item can be purchased at the preview,” Mrs. Stewart added.

In addition to the beautiful gowns, dresses, mother-of-the-bride dresses and other items, hors d’oeuvres will also be served.

“The hors d’oeuvres that we will serve are from our (Service League) cookbook,” Mrs. Stewart said. “They can sample some of the recipes while they visit the preview.”
On Saturday, April 4, the sale hours are from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Collecting for the sale, which is open to the public, began in February. Service League members donated items from their own wardrobes and through requests for donations from family members, friends and the community. Mrs. Stewart says the response was overwhelming.

“We have dresses ranging in size from 0 to 24,” Mrs. Stewart said. “We have a great selection of party dresses, prom dresses, wedding dresses. Some of these dresses still have the tags on them and have never been worn. The Boutique Sale is a great opportunity for a young woman to purchase a beautiful prom dress at a great price.”

In addition to the traditional evening attire, Mrs. Stewart says some unique items have also been donated.

“We have some vintage dresses that would be great for Halloween or for theme parties,” Mrs. Stewart noted. “We also have winter and spring dresses and suits.”

While shoppers at the Boutique Sale will pick up some bargains, the money raised will go to fund many of the agencies and causes supported by the Dothan Service League. This non-profit volunteer organization awards three scholarships annually - $1,000 to a high school senior, $1,500 to a Troy Dothan Campus student and $1,500 to a Wallace College student.

In addition to scholarships, the DSL members provide meals for approximately 100 homebound citizens through the Meals-on-Wheels program. The members deliver the meals every Monday.

“We also provide activities every Thursday for the Dorothy Quick Senior Adult Center at Evergreen Presbyterian Church,” Mrs. Stewart said. “We also provide school supplies, linens and other needed items for the Wiregrass Children’s Home.

“Our signature project this year is the Spectrum Group, which is the group trying to build a facility for children with autism.”

Mrs. Stewart says the Service League is always open to new members who want to volunteer their time to help their community. For more information about the Dothan Service League, visit http://www.dothanserviceleague.com or contact Emily Stewart at 618-3664.