LIMA, OH (WLIO) - The Kiwanis Club made sure that families didn't have to make the choice between paying the bills or being able to get their daughter a prom dress.
There were hundreds of dresses for girls to pick from at the Lima Kiwanis Club's annual Diva's Den. For over a decade, the service club has provided free prom dresses to area girls. Many of them are brand new, and the others are dry cleaned and pressed by Duffy's Cleaners so that they look as good as new. They were also able to offer shoes, jackets, and jewelry to match.
Organizers say one of their favorite parts of the event is seeing the reactions of young ladies and their families when they find that perfect dress for prom night.
"The gal that just walked out with a dress, she was so excited, she said, 'we said yes to the dress!' and wished everybody else to have the same kind of luck. People give me hugs and thanked us for doing this," said Candace Newland, who is in charge of program development for the Lima Kiwanis Club.
One teen wasn't sure what she'd find, but club members personally helped her and other girls find dresses that fit their styles just right.
"I am so grateful, and everyone here has been so helpful on just helping me find the right dress and just everything. I hope more girls come here because this is an absolute amazing experience," said 10th grader Hannah Sims.
If you have a dress that's not being worn, the Lima Kiwanis Club will begin collecting them in the fall for next year's Diva's Den.
