MARCH 18, 2010 ISSUE
Pioneer Prom Boutique
Making Dreams Come True for the Big Day
Pretty in pink, South’s Clothiers held a fashion show earlier this year featuring some of their hottest dresses. South’s held the show to benefit the Pioneer Prom Boutique. Photo submitted
South’s Clothiers brought out their best prom dresses to help local nonprofit organization Pioneer Prom Boutique. Photo submitted
Attending a junior and senior prom is considered to be an important rite of passage in our culture. Prom constitutes an annual spring event that is highly anticipated by high school students and the senior prom, held for graduating students, is often planned three or four months in advance. Details such as clothing, accessories, hairstyles, makeup, shoes, transportation and photos have to be considered. For teenage girls, choosing a prom dress is a highlight of prom planning: color, style, length and cost all comes into play when choosing the perfect dress.
But what if a girl cannot afford a prom dress? Christina Welch, a school counselor at Mabel School, and her husband John Welch, who works for ASU Athletics and is a Watauga County School Board candidate, decided to do something to help local girls obtain prom dresses if they or their families are unable to do so. For five years, Christina and John have run the Pioneer Prom Boutique, an organization that supplies dresses for the big night, free of charge.
“We started Pioneer Prom Boutique after I found out a friend in Concord was doing it,” said Christina. “She asked for my prom dresses to give to girls who could not afford to buy one.”
The seed for her unique High Country service was planted, right then and there. Christina and John have expanded the program this year. In the past, they served about one dozen girls each prom season.
“This year we have a list of over 50 girls,” said Christina. “On Saturday, March 20, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in the Panhellenic Hall at Appalachian State University, the girls will get to pick out their prom dress. The boutique shopping is by invitation only, but we are accepting prom dresses even on that day and parents can contact me if their daughter will be needing a dress for next year’s prom.”
Working as a team, both Christina and John have helped make Pioneer Prom Boutique a success.
“John speaks to the fathers of the girls and transports dresses, while I take care of the other details,” explained Christina. “We have help; South’s Clothiers held a fashion show featuring the top 10 prom dresses from their shop on February 20 at the Boone Mall. Roseanne Peacock, the first lady of ASU, was the emcee and the show featured the latest in prom dress fashion trends. South’s has been a huge part and supporter of the Pioneer Prom Boutique since it’s inception five years ago.”
Girls are chosen to receive an invitation to the boutique by Watauga High School social workers, and the dresses were collected by the Chi Omega Sorority, South’s Clothiers located in the Boone Mall and two textile merchandising students at ASU.
“I would like to extend a special thank you to South’s and Chi Omega for assisting in this project, ” said Christina, “as well as to ASU students Ashley Currin, Courtney Evers, Kate Wasowski and Maddie Holt. Also, a very special thank you to Watauga High School student Courtney McKinney. Courtney has been a vital and crucial part of the planning for the Pioneer Prom Boutique: I could not have done it without her.”
Pioneer Prom Boutique also seeks gift certificates and donations for manicures and hairstyling.
For more information about the program, to donate a dress or to volunteer, call Christina at 828-297-3993.
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