Archive: Around Town

Every year girls shop for a prom dress that they will probably wear only once.  These dresses end up in closets, the Salvation Army, or even in the trash.  The next year they do it all again.  This year the Tompkins County Solid Waste Division has decided to do something about it so the dresses can be reused.  On March 24th middle and high school girls will have a chance to exchange their gowns at the Pyramid Mall.  "It would be nice if people had a chance to find a dress so they don't have to spend that money again every year," says Communication & Administrative Coordinator Linnett Short.

Short has been contacting local schools, and many have agreed to be part of the event.  Others have at least agreed to publicize it to their students.  Girls will bring their old prom or formal gown to school and receive a ticket for it.  On March 24 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm they will be able to exchange their ticket for another dress.  From 2:00pm to 4:00 pm anyone can come to choose a dress.

Short says the Pyramid Mall has donated a storefront, where the Eddie Bauer store used to be.  She says it is perfect because it has changing rooms where girls can try on the dresses.  "Working with the mall has been wonderful," she says.  "We're hoping to get donations from some of the stores for garment bags, so when the girls walk out with their dress it will keep it nice and fresh.  And maybe the stores will donate some dresses."

It is fitting that the Solid Waste Division should host the event, because exchanging dresses is a form of recycling.  Or, to be precise, reuse.  "Reuse is even better than recycling," Short says.  "It doesn't take any environmental resources to reuse something except your own energy, which we can restore just by eating and drinking."

She adds that exchanging the dresses saves more than just the dresses.  "There's a lot of bad stuff out there," she notes.  "Not all clothing is bad, but some of it is.  It's sprayed with pesticides, it takes a lot to manufacture it.  So there are a lot of environmental reasons, too."

Short is already looking forward to next year.  She says that if this year's event is a success she hopes to get professionals to donate time to give the girls advise on hair or accessories.  

Dresses that are not given away will be donated to local organizations.  "If we had a place to store them we probably would, but we don't," Short explains.  "And I think they need to keep moving.  So we're going to call local theaters and college departments to see if they are interested in them.  Secondly I'd like to offer them to the Service League, and the Salvation Army.  I'd like to keep it local as much as we can."  But she adds that there may not be many dresses left.

Short and intern Stephanie Egan are rounding up college students to volunteer to help man the event.  They will pick up the dresses from the schools a few days before the exchange so dresses can be hung up and sorted.  She says that she hopes exchanges of many items, not just dresses will become more accepted and common as time goes on.  "If we can do that with a lot of our materials we're going to save this planet eventually," she says.  "I swear we are!"

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