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Success for Northbrook’s Party Dress Project
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Updated: October 24, 2012 9:52PM
Even Cinderella would have been dazzled.
That special dress? At a special price? And for a special cause? The Party Dress Project of Northbrook, now in its fourth year, had all that, plus a great time for everyone who showed up to shop.
The Oct. Oct. 14 boutique at the Autohaus on Edens Northbrookraised more than $5,000 that will benefit Willow House, the charity chosen this year by the event organizers.
Stacy Simpson and Beth Hirshman, Party co-founders, welcomed all to a boutique offering repurposed party wear, though many of the dresses had never been worn.
Wait, hot pink?
Hmm…and the gown comes with its brand new tags too. Anyone would have been pleased with the $25 price. And there was a rainbow of colors to choose from.
Even princes stopped in. Justin Colter of Northbrook brought Phoenix Rose, 3. It was something “I don’t do often,” laughed Colter, who was clearly outnumbered.
The young ladies enjoyed shopping from an abundance of party wear.
“I’m supposed to be the bride and the bridesmaid,” laughed Annie Simpson, 14, a Lake Forest High School freshman, who donned a white gown.
While good humor ran high, the event’s more sober purpose was not forgotten by all those who cared for others.
“Willow House is an organization that is set up to support families who have experienced loss,” said Simpson.“This year in our community of Northbrook, it was a particularly tough summer when we lost three teens in about a month’s time, two to suicide and one in a car accident. So our community was really, really reeling from that…”
Billy Garrity, 17, who would have been a Glenbrook North High School football varsity special teams senior starter, died June 14. Ryan McCarthy, 20, a 2010 GBN graduate, died June 27.
On July 2, Kyle Caraher, 17, a senior who was varsity football starting offensive lineman, died in a Wisconsin car accident.
Said Anna Hirshman, 14, a GBN freshman (and Beth Hirshman’s daughter): “Our community both ways like fell apart and came together. It was really hard, it was a very hard summer…”
But now, she added, “I think we made a comeback. We’ve all come together and we’re doing well this year I feel like.”
View the video at www.northbrook.suntimes.com under “Lifestyles” and “Karie Angell Luc.”
