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EAST HAVEN — Attending promenade can be costly, from the tickets and transportation to the dresses, satisfies and extras. But a single East Haven resident is lending a hand by developing an corporation aimed at serving to all people show up at prom.
Cherie Bicknell came up with the plan when the mother of a lady on Bicknell’s four-calendar year-outdated daughter Kaylee’s pageant team questioned regardless of whether Bicknell could assist collect prom attire for college students in need.
That travel was for college students in Danbury, but it bought Bicknell questioning whether her hometown of East Haven — she’s an East Haven High Faculty graduate herself — experienced a very similar travel for students.
“I achieved out to a several active customers of the neighborhood and they said ‘no,’” Bicknell stated of the city owning its own these drive. “I arrived at out to the community through social media and they all cherished the idea and we just type of ran with it.”
So, Kaylee’s Prom Land Boutique was born.
The business is named soon after Bicknell’s daughter, the youngest of her four youngsters. She reported she would like to instill in her children the love and significance of lending a hand.
“I consider to instruct them like, ‘hey, assistance men and women in want,’” Bicknell said. “You just really do not know anybody’s circumstance. I was a single mom with my two more mature kids and I had aid from some others in the neighborhood. People avenues ended up out there, so any minimal support I can support any individual with, I’m far more than keen to do that.”
Bicknell preferred to build more of a boutique purchasing knowledge compared to contributors experience as though they were being at a consignment or thrift store buying out their promenade attire.
Bicknell enlisted the help of two active community members, Ann Penington and Annarose Russo, to create the generate, with other volunteers helping at two donation sites previously this month.
In just two months, the team managed to build the overall program.
“The community was excellent with donations,” Bicknell claimed. “I haven’t seriously counted them due to the fact there is a whole lot but I want to say I have 300 dresses.”
Some dresses still have tags and ended up never ever worn following the pandemic led to the cancellation of proms and attire could not be returned. Attire that were being donated, in cases with the tags however on, charge as a great deal as $600. Other attire are by designers Bicknell acknowledged from the pageant world.
Other donations so significantly consist of 50 pairs of shoes, components and merchandise from modest organizations, these kinds of as Attilio’s Men’s Garments, which donated five tuxedo rentals. Flowers by Lisa is donating corsages and a different community flower store is donating corsages and boutonnieres.
Branford Academy, a cosmetology school, came up with a bundle of solutions it will offer, as well. Nail and hair salons have donated vouchers or gift certificates.
Bicknell and a pal are Paparazzi Add-ons associates and donated jewellery and equipment for pupils.
“My strategy, dependent on this yr because it was variety of speedy shifting, is the total bundle,” Bicknell reported. “I would like to give that for your baby. You know, discover your dress, find your shoes, here’s your extras, here’s a voucher to go get your hair and nails carried out. The overall package deal of wherever they want the glam and they just regrettably simply cannot pay for it.”
Kaylee’s Promenade Land Boutique is not just a just one-time party for Bicknell, who filed to develop into a nonprofit with the condition of Connecticut. She would like to maintain the party every year but also grow it to consist of not only the whole package deal, but much more cities to aid much more children in need.
“We’re just making an attempt to make it right here as the trial operate, find out from it and grow from it,” Bicknell reported.
Kaylee’s Promenade Land Boutique, located at Hayes School at 1 Maple St. in East Haven, will be open for all East Haven High Faculty college students who need to have help with the economical burden of attending promenade, and they can “shop” April 2.
The party will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is 1st arrive, 1st served, with limited appointments accessible, as perfectly. Individuals intrigued in discovering far more or scheduling an appointment can electronic mail [email protected].
“Just since of your economic situation, it should not have an impact on becoming capable to go somewhere or owning a good time as a kid,” Bicknell stated. “If I can offer this for them, hey, I just designed a child’s day.”
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