Prom is not just a special event. It’s a rite of passage for many girls and their families. With the rising costs of living, many families are facing the roadblock of simply not having the money to afford these experiences for their children.

“All Dressed Up” is a prom dress giveaway program sponsored by the Junior League of Madison. It is free for all high school girls in the community, and over 95 schools have been invited. Some people even drive from as far as Platteville, Wild Rose and Albany.

Madison College is on a long list of partner organizations, including Klinke Cleaners, which help make this dream come true for girls and their families.

Dresses from local women and girls are dropped off at Klinke Cleaners to be dry-cleaned, and the organization also acts as a drop-off point for accessories. The dresses are then stored at Killian Dental Clinic in Middleton, and Two Men and a Truck signed on to deliver them to Madison College for the giveaway event. The dresses are dropped off the day prior, on March 9, so volunteers can organize them and put them out on racks.

Tricia Weisheipl works at the Madison College Foundation and is also a volunteer for the Junior League.

“These girls and families can’t otherwise afford to have or buy dresses for prom. It’s a great way to get the girls on campus and see what Madison College has to offer for them,” she said.

With over 1,000 dresses in storage waiting to be unveiled, the event needs all the helping hands it can get. Last year the program served just fewer than 300 girls. Weisheipl was confident that this year the count would increase to over 400, she said.

“We are going to make sure we can get as many girls and dresses as we can,” she said.

The girls sign up online for a time slot to come to Madison College on March 10 between 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM. They are then matched up with personal shoppers who help them pick out a dress based on size, color and fit preferences. The girls then proceed to another part of campus to pick out accessories such as purses or jewelry. The Sewing Guild is also partnered to come in to perform minor alteration services.

“All Dressed Up” has impacted the lives of many families who otherwise would have had nowhere to turn for prom resources. It is more than just an event for girls to get dresses; it’s a way of building self-esteem.

“We had a call from a father in Fort Atkinson who said he lost his job and could not afford to pay for a dress,” Weisheipl said. “The first girl in line at 2 a.m. last year was dying of cancer,” she added.

“It is really helping girls to get the confidence to go to prom. I think it’s important for girls to attend this event, and finances should not be an issue,” Weisheipl said.

All Dressed Up is currently accepting donations of dresses and accessories at any Madison Klinke Cleaners until Feb. 25. Weisheipl urges individuals to contact her if they have donations past that date. Volunteers are also needed March 9-10 to assist at the giveaway event.

“Having it open to the entire public is important to us; to serve as many people as we can. It is wonderful that it is all donated and all volunteer,” she said. “The faculty and staff of Madison College are really behind it, and they make it really easy for the Junior League to hold the event there.”