CONCORD
Prom night is an important event in the life of a teenager. We will always remember what we wore; our magnificent hairdo (or at least that it was magnificent at that time); a night filled with fun, friends, and memories that would last a lifetime. Hairdos have changed, but the emotion and anticipation of attending the prom have not.
The night is even more special for girls who spend months planning what they are going to wear. However, prom dresses are very expensive, and many girls in our community cannot afford to buy one, which prevents them from attending such an anticipated event. For many, not having a dress shatters their dream of a magical night.
But Kathryn Cummings, a junior at Cox Mill High School and a member of the Hispanic Honor Society at the school, decided to do something about it. She wanted to give girls the opportunity to experience that dream by starting a prom-dress drive to collect dresses from her classmates, co-workers and friends, and distribute them to those unable to pay for one.
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Kathryn decided to embark on this noble drive to specifically benefit Hispanic girls in need. She said the experiences and knowledge she acquired while studying Spanish for five years and living in Spain for a month opened her eyes to many different cultures and helped grow her passion for the Hispanic community.
To set her plan into action, she contacted El Puente Hispano, a local nonprofit organization that works to better the lives of Latinos in Cabarrus County, and enlisted its help with her cause. Kathryn and El Puente will host an event March 13 to display the donated dresses so Latino girls can have the experience of choosing their dress in a friendly environment and, thanks to Kathryn, without having to pay a dime. To make the dress “shopping” an unforgettable experience for the girls, the event will have food, makeup and hair tips and more.
“Kathryn is an amazing young lady. She not only has great compassion and love for diversity, but also is an innate leader that did not fear tackling a big project like this and doing it with an incredible sense of commitment and responsibility,” said Sandra Torres, president of el Puente Hispano.
Kathryn and El Puente encourage residents to donate gently used prom, homecoming, bridesmaid and other formal dresses to help with the cause. For each dress received, donors will get an entry to a $500 gift-card raffle and other prizes. Donations will be accepted from now to March 6. For more information, call Kathryn at 704-785-5669 or Sandra Torres at 347-452-1557.
