Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Southeast Serves and Gamma Sigma Sigma team up for third dress sale

Monday, January 25, 2016
The Fancy That! Dress Sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 30 in the University Center third floor lobby.
File photo

After a friend who worked at Westminster College posted a flyer that her students were collecting dresses to donate to the Cinderella Project, Joanna Shaver wanted to get involved.

But when Shaver, who is the coordinator for campus programming in Campus Life and Event Services at Southeast Missouri State University, looked more into the project, the deadline had passed and its range fell outside Cape Girardeau.

Even so, that didn't stop her, and Shaver decided to start an event of her own.

The Fancy That! Dress Sale co-hosted by Southeast Serves and service sorority Gamma Sigma Sigma is now in its third year. The event sells donated formal dresses at a discounted price, with all proceeds going to a local charity.

Shaver said Fancy That! started out more geared toward prom season but has grown into a sale for any kind of dress, including bridesmaid, cocktail and wear-to-work options.

According to Shaver, last year's event raised $492 for the Safe House for Women and Birthright of Cape Girardeau. This year all of the money will go to the Safe House for Women. Shaver said a lot of the staff at the Safe House for Women are Gamma Sigma Sigma alumni and she's always believed strongly in their mission, so to give back seemed natural.

There were some dresses left over from 2015's sale, but Shaver said additional donations still were requested in the fall.

"I think it's nice to see people just let go like that and say, 'Here, take it. Somebody else could use this,'" Shaver said.

A few vouchers for free dresses went to five area high schools as well as to the Safe House for Women, allowing those who maybe can't afford formalwear to find something also.

"Basically, if somebody brings one in, we don't ask questions, we just accept it, and they can have one free dress of their choice, whether it's long or short doesn't matter to us," Shaver said.

Pamela Avila is the graduate assistant for student engagement and helps Shaver coordinate Southeast Serves projects throughout the year. She said she hadn't been involved with the event before now, but her undergraduate experience in Southeast's Educational Access Program gave her a heart for volunteer work.

"For me to now be in this position for community service, it really worked out really nicely because it's definitely something I have a big passion for," Avila said.

Avila said she worked with Catapult, Southeast's student creative house incubator, to borrow mannequins and T-stands, giving the event what she and Shaver call a "boutique" look.

"Hopefully that will attract students more and make some cool displays and maybe get some of our really formal dresses on the mannequins to draw more attention," Avila said.

The Fancy That! Dress Sale will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 30 in the University Center third floor lobby. The dresses will be sorted by size and length and fitting rooms will be located in the UC Program Lounge. Short dresses can be purchased for $15 and long dresses for $25, regardless of style. Only cash or check payments will be accepted.

Shaver said the stock of dresses is limited to what's donated, but she hopes people find a dress they can use and, most importantly, a dress they like.

"I like seeing the smiles on the young ladies' faces when they find something that does fit or that they've found for a special occasion," Shaver said. "That always feels good I think, whether it's for a specific cause or just because you're going shopping for a pair of jeans. Whenever you find something that fits and looks good and makes you feel comfortable, I think that's really all I could ask for is that somebody finds something perfect for them."

There's something priceless about friends coming in and trying on dresses all together, just because, or the moment a mom has with her daughter.

"Nothing really compares to that feeling of putting on a dress that makes you feel beautiful. There's just a very special kind of confidence that that gives you," Avila said.

She added that buyers knowing the sale's benefits go to the Safe House for Women is the best part of shopping at the sale.

"Even though they walk away with something for them, they're also helping someone else, too," Avila said.

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