A line of over 100 high school girls and their families stood outside Pine Street United Methodist Church in the bitter cold of Saturday morning. At 8:30 a.m., it would be another half-hour until "Cinderella's Closet" finally opened, and I was kicking myself for stepping outside in shorts to endure the cold.
As we proceeded into the building, I found out why the wait to enter was so extensive. The girls from the line outside were packed into the space of the church's sanctuary as each waited patiently for their turn to explore the room of over 800 gowns.
Anticipation prodded at me until my number was finally called and my "fairy godmother" helped me to pick out the dress of my dreams. It was impossible not to be awestruck by the caring attitude of the volunteers coupled with the smiles of the happy customers around me. After picking out the perfect purse, make-up, and a complimentary goody-bag, my final bill came to a mere $10
The Junior League of Williamsport is to be greatly commended for their outreach to young people through this program. Not only does "Cinderella's Closet" offer hope to those experiencing financial difficulties, it employs a situation for young women of various economic standings to feel beautiful. With the media's constant focus on celebrities buying their way to beauty, it's relatively easy to become obsessed with attaining the "perfect" image. For me, trying on those dresses provided an uplifting boost of energy and confidence , as well as a temporary distraction from the media's definition of beauty. Perhaps I now have enough self-assurance to finish my calculus homework.
Jeanna Stiadle
Montgomery
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom
