BARRY’S BAY – The Valley Cinderella Project was created several years ago, and just recently made its way into Barry’s Bay.
Anita Jessup has taken the magic wand and has decided to be the organizer for the Barry’s Bay Cinderella Project.
“I heard about it on the radio and I thought ‘oh how great is it to be doing something like this in our area,’” Jessup said.
She has been a part of the Cinderella Project for two years now, and said the best part about helping women around the area is watching them find their perfect dress.
“It’s fun – it’s fun to see people find a dress that suits them, and find a dress that they love. It’s fun to see them go through 50 dresses and trying on all the different ones,” Jessup said. “It’s nice to be giving back to the community as well.”
With a motto of “Every Lady deserves to be a princess… regardless of a budget,” this non-profit organization helps women, and young ladies in the Ottawa Valley area, find the dress of their dreams without the booming price tag.
This project aims towards helping women find dresses and accessories for prom, graduation, or even their wedding.
Jessup decided to sign up after hearing about the project, with the main location being in the Pembroke-Petawawa area, she figured it would be nice to have a location here, in Barry’s Bay.
“There is a closet of dresses here as well,” Jessup said. “We collect donations of new and used formal wear, shoes, accessories, whatever it is people have to give, and we redistribute it within the community to people who need a dress,” she said.
These dresses are for borrowing, or trading. You contact Jessup, arrange a meeting, and borrow a dress. After your occasion you return it to Jessup, or the nearest Cinderella location, and they will clean it, and reuse the dress for another in need.
“It’s like a lending system for dresses,” Jessup said.
“I think if you need a dress, then come and borrow a dress,” Jessup said. “We determine need a dress as ‘I need a dress.’”
Jessup’s home is currently filled with all different types of gowns, and she is presently looking for the help of anyone in the community who is willing to be a drop-off location.
She is at present holding approximately 70 dresses, with a size range of zero to 24.
“Right now the only drop-off location for donations is my house,” Jessup said. “If there were somewhere in town that would be willing to just have them, and call me, then I can come pick them up, that would be fantastic.”
Story continues in the Ocotber 17, 2012 issue of The Valley Gazette.