Las Vegas Prom Closet helps girls attend the big dance

When you think about it, it's a perfect match.

Take all of those bridesmaid and prom dresses worn just once and now taking up space in the back of the closet. Give them to hundreds of Southern Nevada teenagers who would like to go to their high school proms but can't afford to buy a prom dress. And what do you get?

The Las Vegas Prom Closet, which is as perfect an example of charitable synergy as you'll find anywhere.

The nonprofit organization was founded in 2002 by Becky Christensen of Reno. Christensen's inspiration, the group's history notes, was her daughter, Aly, who died in a car accident in December 2001.

Originally known as Aly's Prom Closet, the organization expanded to Southern Nevada in 2003. Ever since, the Las Vegas Prom Closet has continued its mission of matching "gently used" prom dresses and accessories with girls who otherwise couldn't afford them.

"The first year, they gave out a fairly modest number of dresses," recalls Jennifer Lewis, a Las Vegas Prom Closet volunteer and organizer. "These last two years, we've given out a couple of hundred.

"We have a pretty good range of dresses and we're always collecting more. We think we have about 800, but we haven't counted."

This year, the Las Vegas Prom Closet will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 5 and 12 at the Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club, 800 N. Martin Luther King Blvd.

It works on the "honor system," Lewis adds. "They just show up and we ask to see a student ID."

"We have some people who are maybe a little older than high school try to get a dress," Lewis says, including a woman, about 45, who stopped by last year. Those people are turned away.

Many of the dresses are donated by valley clubs, bridal and apparel stores, and corporate supporters.

The group will continue to collect dresses and other donations through March 29. Dresses, shoes, handbags, jewelry and other items may be dropped at collection points that include Jessica McClintock at the Fashion Show mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. South; the law offices of Cooper Levenson, 900 S. Fourth St.; and Triton Grading & Paving, 4220 Arcata Way, Building B., Suite 1, North Las Vegas.

For more information about the Las Vegas Prom Closet, visit the group's Web site (www.myspace.com/lvpromcloset or lvpromcloset.com) or call 237-0363.

Contact reporter John Przybys at jprzybys@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0280.