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HEATHER GORSUCH The 95 prom dresses donoted to Operation Prom Dress were collected by the English department. Operation Prom Dress collects hope for girls HEATHER GORSUCH Shaub expres~ed his need for more donations at the meet- end and felr a lor of pressure to wear a new dress ro each one StClffReporter ing, and srudents were immediately willing to help promote despite having only been worn once,~ said Kelner. the drive at McDanie!' Kelner was lucky enough to have a cousin a year older In order to promote the event, students in the course than her pass down all her old formal dresses. "There was no Prom night has always been considered a milestone in many created a public relations campaign where they POSted in- way I could afford a new dress for each party, nor was my girls lives. While many girls anxiously anticipate the "big formation on Facebook, hung Hiers around campus, and mother willing to spoil me for no good reason like rhar," night,H others are unable to afford all the expenses. The participated in a public relations event ourstde Glar on said Kelner. costs of shoes, makeup, accessories, and the dress leave March 10. During this event students wore formal attire When she went back to Massachusetts for spring break, many girls in McDowell County, West Virginia unable ro including tuxedos and prom dresses to encourage srudenrs if turned out all of her dresses were still in the back of her afford this memorable night. to pardcipare in the dress drive. closer and in good condition. "I was glad to be able to do- Last year, the students in Profes50r]uliaJasken'sWrit- During the course, Jasken created an assignment where nate them to a great cause," said Kelner. ing for Nonprofit Organizadons course met with the Non- every student in the class had to design a Hter to promote In addition, several faculty and staff members donated profit Community Service Council in Westminster, where the event. The class voted on which flier was the best and their dresses to the organization. A women working at the they were acquainted with Leslie Shaub. He runs an orga- would be used for the campaign; Andrew Vc!nosky's Iller information desk in Decker had a friend hand make a two- nization called the Appalachian Poverty Project. The pri- was chosen as the winner. ~It's definirely challenging but at piece dress for her to wear to her daughter's wedding. Iron- mary focus of this organization is [Q cnllecr-appliances for the same time it's really rewarding to get hands on experi- ically, it was the same designer who had made the brides- rhe poverty areas of Appalachia. . ence," said Vdnosky. maid dresses for Anderson's son's wedding. During this discussion, he spoke of ancrher component Bobby Anderson, the secretary in the English Depart- According to Anderson, 95 dresses were collected this to rhe organization: Operation Prom Dress. The purpose of ment helped gather the prom dresses char were donated to year ranging in various styles and colors. Gently used shoes this dress drive is to collect gently used formal dresses for rhe orgaruzarion. She explained that with each prom dress and jewelry were also collected. One student and her moth- girls who live in McDowell County, since many of the girls donated, a Story was attached. Senior Melissa Kelner, do- er also sold makeup and donated their un-used samples to . cannot afford ro purchase their own prom dresses. These nated a black and white Horal, knee length gown. the organizarion. dresses will be an incentive for the girls to Stay in school, ~I come from a very Jewish community and during ~lt'sgrearforstudentstoseewhata tlngibleeffectthat where the drop out rare in this area is over 75 percent. middle school we had a bar/bat mitzvah almost every week- they can have on communities in need," said Jasken. Injustice, poverty, hunger: Advocacy Team is on it! KIMWILUAMS After the conference, rhe co-founders did not store to determine whether the school is selling human justice issue. The idea is to make che cam- Features Editor simply return to McDaniel.g,nd carry on as usual. slave made goods." pus aware and involved in human justice issues Instead, they used rheir experience to come up As shown through the leaders' attendance of and to spread awareness about Advocacy Team." with the idea for a new club. Baker said, ~We a Christian missions conference, Odegaard said In addition to checking out Justice Week, Seibert said, "You can also join Advocacy Team, For students who are intcrested in trying to make hope ro make a difference in the world or maybe "one of our big motivations is our faith. We do where we have weekly meetings every Tuesday an impact or dolngsomerbing good, there's a new just in our ltnle town by advocaring legislatures pray ar (he end of each meeting." night from 9-10 alternatively in Hill 110 ana club this semester which might be appealing: Ad- for these without a voice, collecting food for the However, everyone should feel more than p hungry, using our consumerism to discourage in- welcome to arrend meetings. Odegaard said, "You North Village PA 201, suite 101. vocacy Tenm. .' " justice and-most of all spreading awareness so that ro ccme." Seibert said, "We've commined to always Freshman Mara Selberr, Junior Bobby Baker. don't have to have a falrh and senior Rebecca Odegaard, the co-founders of those with more resources may do the same," Baker added, ~We're affiliated with lmervar- do something productive, whether it be making the group, were inspired after attending a confer- The group has already been very busy. Baker sity Christian Fellowship, and have received a lot food, signing petitions, researching, making calls or planning furure events. So you'll never come ro ence. Seibert said, "The club came about due to said, "So far, we have made food for a YANA (You of suppOrt through them-at the Start that's where a global missions conference we attended in De- Arc Never Alone), 3 program that offers sUPPOrt we gor the base of our members. Since rhen how- a poinrless rneeringl" for fQrmer prostitutes and trafficked women, on ever, it's branched our and others are also hearing Odegaard said, ~We made a promise to do cem~~k~~I~:1d~'~;~!:~i: conference, the ~ther co- a biweekly basis, we have mass called Maryland about what we're dotng!" something every Tuesday," Anyone who would is also plannlng a justice The Advocacy'Team leaders and I were exposed to the injustice th.at Stare Senators and Delegates to lobby for the pas· Week. Seiberr said, "Jusrice Week will be rrom like to make that same promise and get in- volved should be sure to auend a meeting Tues- takes place everyday both imernationallyand m sage of human trafficking bills, and we have con- April 5-9 and each day will focus on a different day night. ourbackyards. p ductcd research on the producrs in the school