HUMBOLDT — With Valentine’s Day in the rear-view mirror, warmer temps just ahead (we hope) and area schools now through their respective Homecoming festivities, high-schoolers have set their sights on prom.
A prom dress sale runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the basement at Humboldt City Hall, 725 Bridge St.
The event serves as a fundraiser for Humboldt’s After-Prom activities.
“It’s not gonna be perfect. But we hope somebody will continue it if it works well,” said Sarah Lassman, one of the organizers.
Volunteers from Humboldt, Iola, Moran, Garnett, Yates Center and Chanute have collected gowns for the sale, ranging from top-of-the-line brands to other, more affordable options.
Shoes will be sold as well.
“There are some beautiful dresses here,” Lassman said. “We have all sorts of sizes and styles, even some with sequins.”
Lassman is hopeful to have 100 dresses up for sale, but admits that’s a lofty goal.
“It may be a little less than that,” she said.
The idea came after spotting various prom-goers attempting to buy or sell used dresses, Lassman said.
“There’s just not a lot of interaction,” she said. “I tried to list my daughter’s dress, but then it’s awkward to go to someone’s house and try it on and work out the details.”
The basement has a pair of restrooms that will serve as fitting rooms.
“We’re hoping to set up another dressing room as well,” Lassman said.
Plenty of mirrors will be set up as well.
Organizers intentionally reached out to potential sellers from across the region, some from as far away as Pittsburg, to get a diverse collection.
“I’m only one of several people involved in this,” Lassman said. “It’s kind of a big deal to get dresses from outside the area because girls want to have options. They don’t necessarily wear the same dress a friend wore.”
Each seller pays a $5 registration fee to include their dress in the sale, regardless of whether the gown sells.
Then, the seller gets 80% of the sale price, with the After-Prom Committee getting the rest.
