Two girls, in brightly colored dresses, run across the hallway, giggling as they open the door to a room of full-length mirrors. They stand back and gaze at their reflections, hair curled in ringlets, make-up beautifully applied, and the shimmer of their gowns reflecting the light. For a moment, there is silence as they take in the sight and then the giggles return as they start to express their amazement at the transformation. “You’re beautiful, girls!” a volunteer assures them as she passes by. And for the first time, in a long time, they agree.
Volunteers Make it Possible
Two girls, in brightly colored dresses, run across the hallway, giggling as they open the door to a room of full-length mirrors. They stand back and gaze at their reflections, hair curled in ringlets, make-up beautifully applied, and the shimmer of their gowns reflecting the light. For a moment, there is silence as they take in the sight and then the giggles return as they start to express their amazement at the transformation. “You’re beautiful, girls!” a volunteer assures them as she passes by. And for the first time, in a long time, they agree.
This year’s Dress for Freedom event took place on March 11th at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Portland. Over 70 girls turned out for a day of fun and pampering. Balloons of pink, red, and white filled the auditorium. A buffet table with salads, sandwiches and finger foods sat next to decanters of fruit-infused water and tea. Several stations were set up around the auditorium and participants chatted as they received manicures, made their own headbands, and designed unique pairs of flip-flops. The room was abuzz with activity and voices as girls compared nail color choices or talked with volunteer hostesses as they ate lunch.
Volunteers escorted small groups of attendees to a room that held over eight hundred dresses of all sizes and styles. Hostesses helped each young woman search the racks for the perfect dress, pulling out selections and offering suggestions. Dressing rooms lined the walls as volunteers sat at sewing machines ready to perform alterations. After choosing a gown, participants proceeded to the makeup and hair stations where multiple stylists worked to create ideal hairstyles and looks.
In a separate room, away from the bustle of the dresses and stylists, personnel from the Design Studio worked with girls to create and sew their own bags from fabric. This quieter space allowed mentors to begin to build relationships with girls and introduced them to the after school programs available through the Design Studio.
And while the attendees basked in the wonder of an event created just for them, an event with the goal of making them feel beautiful and loved, over 90 volunteers worked at different stations and kept things running smoothly. “We are blessed with great volunteers,” said Linda Tribbett (Director of Adorned in Grace) as she carried flowers to the registration area. Making Dress for Freedom a successful event involves those who donate their abilities and time to do everything from setting up the auditorium to making food in the kitchen. Volunteers give countless hours and pour their hearts into welcoming, serving, and blessing each and every participant.
The Bauer family makes the Dress for Freedom an annual event. Ever since the first Dress for Freedom gala, when Janice Bauer was approached about volunteering, the Bauers have been an integral part of the function. This year, seven members of this family participated in various roles which include providing hair styling services, donating flowers, creating centerpieces, designing and donating the mobile dressing rooms, helping with setup and tear down, hiring employees to help clean up and return equipment after the event, and providing Bibles for each attendee.
Zanette Bauer, who collected donations and worked as a hostess at this year’s event, commented about the family’s involvement: “These girls need love and we have love to give.” As a hostess, Zanette was able to better understand several attendees. “It can be awkward for the girls at first,” Zanette clarified. “I don’t know their story but I want to make them smile.” Zanette spent her time helping the participants with various stations and chatting with them over lunch. She relates her favorite moment of the day was after the speaker, Christina Causey, finished speaking. Zanette explained, “The room lifted” once the attendees heard her story and realized they could identify with Christina’s experiences in foster care. From that point on, the girls opened up and started talking and, by the end of the event, Zanette caught a smile on each girl in her group.
Volunteering at Dress for Freedom is about serving and giving love to the attendees. However, those who work the event agree they receive much more than they give. And sometimes volunteers walk away with life lessons and new resolutions. One volunteer admitted she became so focused on the task of ushering attendee’s through her station she unintentionally hurt one young woman’s feelings. When this volunteer realized what had happened, she reflected on the fact she “forgot what brought me there in the first place … this is about building up these amazing young women.” She has resolved to “try to remain present in each moment the Lord gives me and to see each person in front of me as the one whom He created and not her circumstances.”
As Dress for Freedom wrapped up another successful year, the participants left the auditorium in fancy dresses and perfectly coifed hair. They carried with them gift bags with Bibles and beauty supplies as well as the memory of a beautiful day of pampering. The young ladies took the message that they are valuable and loved as children of God, as well as a sense of awareness about the reality of sex trafficking. And as they walked away, volunteers began to pack up the makeup and hair styling tools, leftover food and balloon bouquets. Members of the Bauer family began to disassemble the dressing rooms and load equipment into trucks. Workers washed and dried the dishes in the kitchen while others packed up the remaining dresses.
When the volunteers closed up the room and drove away, they carried with them the memories of a successful event, of lives touched, and of lessons learned. And they look forward to doing it all again in 2016.
Plans are already being made for next year’s event! If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Darlene.
