Beginning at the end of March and continuing through the second weekend in April, The Prom Closet—a project spearheaded by the Peoria North Rotary Club—will provide formal prom attire to boys and girls at absolutely no charge.
 
This year’s Prom Closet takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday over three weekends: March 24-25, March 31 and April 7-8. The Prom Closet will be closed Easter Sunday, April 1. 
The event takes place at Landmark Elementary School, 5730 W. Myrtle Avenue, in downtown Glendale.
 
All high school teens are invited. There are no financial requirements and no application to be completed. All items are available at absolutely no cost.
 
The Prom Closet has thousands of formal prom dresses to choose from, as well as shoes and accessories. In addition to women’s clothing, the program provides men’s shirts, slacks, shoes and ties.
The program was initially created several years ago by Mary Ann Baker, a founding member and past president of the Peoria North Rotary Club. The Peoria club assumed total oversight of The Prom Closet last year and is supported by volunteer Rotarians from Sun City, Peoria, Glendale, Surprise and Phoenix.
 
“It’s really grown into a community-wide project,” said Donnis Deever, a member of Peoria North Rotary Club and chair of this year’s project. “Not only do we have Rotarians from throughout the Valley, but we have many other residents who have joined on as volunteers—many of whom felt the impact of the program when their sons or daughters visited The Prom Closet in the past.” There are no reservations needed, however, there may be a short wait depending on the amount of people in attendance. Rotary volunteers accompany students individually through The Prom Closet to assist them with their selections. Formal attire is only available to students.
 
The event has steadily grown over the years as word continues to spread. Last year, nearly 300 students from 70 high schools were served over a two-week span. Rotary is an international service club with members throughout the world. Eliminating polio is a major focus of the organization, but other efforts include improving literacy, providing sustainable fresh water and helping those in need.
 
Donnis Deever can be reached at dadeever@yahoo.com. For more information, visit www.thepromcloset.com. Photos of last year’s event can be found at www.peorianorthrotarynet.