Local businesswomen to give out free prom dresses on Saturday
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
Sometimes the cost of a prom dress or a tuxedo is prohibitive for teens who want to go to the prom, so a group of Central Texas business owners called the Centex Queens of Business are coming together on Saturday to make a special night possible for local teenagers.
On March 25 from noon until 5 p.m., the Centex Queens of Business are hosting their inaugural prom dress and suit giveaway at Comfort Suites, located at 1816 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
Chantel Banks owns Cake’d, a local home bakery based in Copperas Cove, and came up with idea for the event.
“The idea for the event came from an event my cousin Lauren hosts in Houston,” Banks said. “We all came together as small businesses wanting to do something for the community and prom has gotten so expensive. We figured why not help lighten the cost?”
Banks said she and her fellow businesswomen also wanted to show that women can come together and do great things without the drama usually attached with a group of women.
“We have some amazing sponsors for this event. Myself and business partner Sarina Casarez are the owners of Cake'd, a new bakery coming to Cove. Jon'nee Riley is the owner of #Chapter30, a local hair salon. Sade Coke also owns a hair salon in Austin called Color Me Cute Hair Studio, and Tiffany Rivera owns the nonprofit Angels in Disguise, an AIDS/HIV awareness project right here in Central Texas.”
So far the women have collected more than 100 pieces to be given away—for free—to teens who come to the event, Banks said.
Any teen from any local school district is welcome to come to the event to see if there’s a gown that will fit them and hopefully find what they need for prom. Vendors will be on hand as well, Banks added.
The Centex Queens of Business, according to Banks, is just getting started with more projects to come.
The group is still accepting donations of gently used or new gowns or suits, and Banks can be reached at cakedcove@gmail.com.