Join the festivities this Thursday downtown to benefit PACE Center for Girls- Lee
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, Inc., The Firestone and PACE Center for Girls of Lee County are partnering to collect new and gently used dresses for the annual Love That Dress!, the ultimate feel-good shopping spree of the year. On Thursday, July 25, donors can bring dresses for Love That Dress! 5 to the Goodwill Boutique on First (2401 First Street, Fort Myers) from 5:00 p.m. through 7:00 p.m. Donors are also encouraged to bring clothing, and other household items to benefit Goodwill. Following the collection, the party heads over to The Firestone located at 2224 Bay Street in Fort Myers. Entrance fee into The Firestone is one or more new or gently used dresses. Upon “paying” your entrance fee, attendees will be given a free raffle ticket for a chance to win various prizes.
The events will feature light refreshments, music, dancing and entertainment. Attendees who bring donations for both Goodwill and PACE earlier in the evening will be entered into a drawing for a Stay, Shop, and Dine prize package, to be drawn at 7 p.m. The festivities continue at The Firestone from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. Attendees will be served by local “Celebrity” bartenders Mayor Randy Henderson, Stephanie Davis, the Downtown Diva, State Representative Heather Fitzenhagen, WINK TV anchor, Nicole Papageorge, PACE Executive Director Meg Geltner and more!
“This is one of the most exciting collection parties to date,” says Kendra Sutton, Love That Dress!5 Chair for PACE Center, Lee. “We cannot wait for the community to experience the fun and commitment that has come from the downtown organizations,” continues Sutton.“Love That Dress! is not just a success with our girls in mind, but, also a great success for our community,” adds Sutton. “It shows that non-profits and businesses partnering together, and assisting each other, benefits the community overall.”
Proceeds from Love That Dress! 5 benefit PACE Center for Girls, a non-residential juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention program targeting the unique needs of girls, ages 12 to 18, facing challenges such as physical and sexual abuse, domestic violence, substance abuse, foster care, neglect, death of a parent, family history of incarceration and declining grades.
PACE is a 501c3 organization and works with young women between the ages of 12-18 living in at risk situations. PACE provides guidance and educational opportunities providing them with a path to a successful life.
Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida provides programs and services for people with disabilities and disadvantages in Charlotte, Lee, Collier, Hendry and Glades counties. Revenue generated by Goodwill’s 27 Southwest Florida Retail & Donation Centers is used to support programs such as the Goodwill L.I.F.E. Academy, a tuition-free charter school for students with developmental disabilities, and Goodwill’s Job-Link centers, which offer employment assistance and other related services. For more information about Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida, visit the agency’s website at http://www.goodwillswfl.org.
