The Rotary Club of Verde Valley (Cottonwood) will become the second Rotary club in Arizona to host a Prom Closet event that provides free formal attire to high school students to attend their school’s prom.
"We are excited to offer a local Prom Closet this year at Mingus Union High School in Cottonwood. Working together with our four local Rotary Clubs, the Mingus Hope Center and the Mingus Interact Club, we are positive it will be a huge success,” said Lynette Prouty, president of the Rotary Club of the Verde Valley (Cottonwood).
The club will next spring host its first-ever Northern Arizona “mini” prom closet. Sarah Garrett is the club’s contact at Mingus High School and is the new outreach coordinator at the Hope Center and Community Family.
According to President Prouty, club activities so far have included:
- Organizers have met at Mingus twice with the help of some Interactors to inventory what the club currently has for dresses and other items. We need more long dresses, in a variety of sizes in more current fashion. And we definitely need menswear. We will also accept shoes and jewelry.
- Sarah will be allowing students to come by the Hope Center during her hours at Mingus to pick out a dress for Homecoming (late October). She has taken the short dresses to the Hope Center.
Prom Closet Donation Drives: SAVE THE DATE!!!
November 13 and January 29
The club will hold drive-through donation drives at Mingus High School from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. both days. Volunteers are need from 9 a.m. to 3p.m. West (upper) parking lot at Mingus High School on Camino Real side.
Prom Closet at Mingus - SAVE THE DATE!!! March 5 and 12
The club is planning to open up to all Verde Valley high schools, Mingus, Camp Verde, Sedona, American Heritage. We will need help from all Rotary Clubs to make this a success. Please pass along to your club members. It will be held at Mingus High School for two Saturdays prior to spring break.
Prom at Mingus is April 2; I don't have the dates for the other schools yet. Will be in touch with them soon.
The Peoria North Rotary Club has been successfully running Prom Closets in the Phoenix area and we are relying on their help to make this a success. Thank you to Donnis Deever, chair of the PNRC Prom Closet.
"This Prom Closet event will be an opportunity to accomplish many wonderful things all at once! By simply donating your formal wear, you won’t only be helping a young person enjoy one of life’s memorable moments, but you’ll also be helping the environment,” said ,” said Sarah Garrett, Community and Family Outreach Coordinator at Hope Center at Mingus Union High School.
“A dress that can be worn a second or third time around means that fewer items are heading off to landfills. It truly is a win-win!”
