Prom Closet Nanaimo is in its tenth year of providing free formal prom attire for anyone graduating high school. (submitted)

By Jordan Davidson

prom season

‘It’s an honour:’ Prom Closet Nanaimo ready for another grad season

Mar 15, 2024 | 5:24 AM

NANAIMO — The start of spring also means the unofficial kick-off to prom season, as graduates prepare for the final celebration of their school years.

Local volunteer-run organization Prom Closet Nanaimo is once again stepping up to help those in need find fitting formal attire.

Coordinator Joan Hiemstra said while financial restrictions are one of the main reasons students use their service, being environmentally friendly is another rising trend.

“They know that the fashion industry can be a polluting industry, and these are the kids who enjoy thrifting already, and they’ll come and they’ll say, ‘why not apply that same philosophy to our prom dress?'”

Hiemstra told NanaimoNewsNOW they have a lot of gowns and suits in stock right now, thanks to donations coming in year-round.

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The only requirement is the student must be graduating high school this year.

“We’ve got a couple of hundred gowns, we’ve got lots of suits this year, and the students come, they pick a dress or a suit and it’s theirs to do alterations to or whatnot if they need it. We ask that they donate it back either to us or to another prom program so that their formal wear can continue to party on after they are done with it.”

Donations for Prom Closet Nanaimo are collected at several local high schools, including John Barsby, Wellington, Ladysmith and Chemainus Secondary School.

Prom closet volunteer Theresa Ratzlaff shows off a large selection of formal attire available for graduating high school students in the Nanaimo region. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

In the decade since its inception, Hiemstra said they’ve seen multiple siblings come through their doors, with word spreading about them through word-of-mouth and also from school councillors.

She said students and parents enjoy the low-key, non-stressful environment Prom Closet Nanaimo provides.

“We know we have success when we have a parent who tears up when they see that their child is able to have their dream clothes, either a suit or a dress, and it’s not going to cost the family. We see a lot of emotion while we’re doing this. It’s an honour to be part of that time of life for a lot of these families, and we handle it with the respect and joy that we can.”

While Prom Closet Nanaimo relies mostly on clothes donations, Hiemstra said some monetary donations would also go a long way.

She said high school grad committees used to donate a portion of their funds, but the pandemic really hurt their momentum.

“A program like this does need financial support where possible…we haven’t been able to pick it up, and it is going to become an issue for us in the next year or two very much, if we don’t get some financial support.”

More information including booking appointments and donation locations can be found here on their Facebook page, or by emailing them at promcloset.nanaimo@gmail.com.

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow