Pretty in Pink’s ‘Cinderella’s Closet’ fundraiser

from Polk County Pulse January 25, 2023

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Pretty in Pink, originally started in 2014 by members of The Crossing Church in Mena, is a non-profit organization that provides prom dresses to area teens so that no one is unable to attend because they cannot buy a dress. Pretty in Pink will now operate under the Polk County Quality of Life Outreach program (QOL), with Mysti Gates serving as Chair of the project.

Over the years, Pretty in Pink has changed leadership a couple of times, as securing a place to store the dresses year-round is always a problem. For charitable organizations, it simply isn’t feasible to pay for a monthly storage unit. The dresses will now be stored on what used to be The Oaks’ property, which was shut down in August 2019 due to a reduction in Medicaid reimbursements across the state. The facility is now being leased by UA Rich Mountain and will hereafter be referred to as Bucks Crossing at The Oaks.

“We are excited to take on the Pretty in Pink project and even more excited that we have a place to set up and store the dresses. We couldn’t ask for a better facility, and we are so grateful for the partnership we have with UA Rich Mountain. It is because of their generosity that we can keep the Pretty in Pink project alive,” Gates said.

Gates also shared, “We look forward to serving Polk County’s youth through this project. This month, I will be visiting area schools, and next month we’re hosting a fundraiser. This fall, we plan to expand our services to include Homecoming, Pageant, and other formal occasion dresses.”

The “Cinderella’s Closet” Fundraiser will be held from 11 a.m.–2 p.m on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Bucks Crossing, located at 1341 S. Mena St. Anyone who would like to contribute to the Pretty in Pink project is encouraged to attend.

Donation needs include long and short formal dresses, gen - tly used dress shoes, and sturdy clothes hangers. Those who would prefer to make cash donations can donate any amount to the project or, in keeping with the fundraiser’s theme, can donate a quarter for each pair of shoes in their closet right now. There will also be a raffle, with a themed gift basket including gift certificates from area businesses as the grand prize. Donors will receive raffle tickets for their donations, as well as charitable donation receipts from QOL.

For questions about the project or the fundraiser, contact Mysti Gates at mgates@uarichmountain.edu or at (479) 394-7622, x.1385.