Jersey man donates 100 dresses for Whitley prom

At least 66 low-income Whitley County High School students will be able to step into a Cinderella story and get their prom dresses free of charge thanks to the efforts of a New Jersey man.
Dan Haughton, a vice-president for marketing at Connotate Technologies Inc. in New Brunswick, New Jersey, will be bringing down over 100 prom dresses to the high school Saturday so that some local girls will have a dress for the prom that they might not ordinarily be able to afford.
Margie Centers, assistant coordinator at the Whitley County High School Youth Services Center, said Haughton held a similar program in 1991 in Whitley County after reading an article in The Wall Street Journal about an impoverished Whitley County family.
The story talked about a single mother’s attempt to support her family on welfare, a small salary, and food stamps, and how the woman’s teenage daughter didn’t even ask for a new prom dress since she knew she wouldn’t get it.
A few months later he called a Whitley County non-profit group to find out if there were more girls like this, and then wrote to friends across the country seeking donations from people, who he knew had daughters with dresses in the closet that they never wore.
Haughton delivered the dresses to Whitley County, and 75 girls had a dress to wear to the prom in 1991.
Centers said Haughton contacted her recently about wanting to help more needy students in Appalachia.
Centers admits that she was a little skeptical at first, but once she found out he was legitimate, she was very excited about the program.
“There are a number of girls in need. It is just amazing,” Centers noted.
Through business and private donations, Haughton will be bringing 104 dresses when he comes with his two daughters and a pair of their friends Saturday, who will be assisting with the effort.
He has also received about $2,000 in donations that can be used to purchase some additional dresses if needed, Centers noted.
Centers said she already has 66 girls that have pre-registered for the giveaway, and that more are welcome to come down Saturday if they need a dress.
Whitley County High School’s Youth Service Center has about 20 dresses in a closet that Centers said she lets girls wear that can’t afford a prom dress, and admits the dresses are getting a little worn out and aren’t nearly enough to meet the demand.
Williamsburg was invited to participate in the giveaway too, but Centers said that because their prom is happening soon school officials had already made other arrangements.
She added that any left over dresses would be split between Whitley County and Williamsburg.
The event will be held from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. at the Whitley County High School Gym.
Centers said the girls are supposed to bring their mothers with them, and that there will be giveaways throughout the afternoon for various accessories.
Anyone wanting more information about the giveaway can contact Centers at 549-7070.