Gowns of generosity: Over 100 prom dresses donated at N.B. high school

The generosity of several New Brunwickers will help ease the financial pressure of attending prom next month.

Lori Pellerin made a post on social media asking for donations of prom dresses. Pellerin, a teacher at Fundy High School in St. George, N.B., is well aware how the high cost of a prom gown is an annual barrier.

"There are definitely some students whose families are going to find it more of a financial struggle than others," says Pellerin, adding the burden has likely never been greater.

Cheryl DesRoches of Shediac, N.B., saw Pellerin’s post and immediately joined the effort to collect gowns in her area. DesRoches says she understands the feeling of growing up and going without.

"A lot of people helped me," says DesRoches. "So that’s the one thing I’ll never forget, the people who helped me when I was going through hard times."

DesRoches hand delivered a majority of the dresses from her area to Fundy High on Monday morning, while others were donated in the Charlotte County area.

The initial goal of collecting a few dresses was eclipsed when about 120 were put on display in the school’s theatre.

"I didn’t think it was going to be that much," says DesRoches. "But I think a lot of people know how times are hard now and how everything is expensive."

Some of the dresses still have a store tag attached.

"I’m guessing some of them are still brand new because of cancelled proms in 2020," says Pellerin.

The variety and sheer number of gowns collected will allow students from other area schools to benefit as well. The dress campaign is also becoming an unexpected part of the curriculum at Fundy High.

"Some of our students, as a special interest project or credit, are going to put together a webpage," says Pellerin. "They’re going to categorize everything, take pictures, sizes, and we’ll have a web page we’ll be able to share with all the schools in the district."