Kenai Peninsula high school students have the chance to find their own glass slippers thanks to Cinderella’s Closet, a charitable program that hopes to provide all students on the Kenai Peninsula with a magical prom night.
Cinderella’s Closet opened its doors on Monday in the Soldotna Prep School’s choir room, allowing students from any school in the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District to find their ideal prom dress and accessories at no cost to them.
“It is a lot of work, but it is priceless to witness the joy and glow of the girls finding their special prom dress,” said Emanuela Pokryfki, a world languages teacher at Soldotna Prep School and a program organizer.
Cinderella’s Closet has been helping students on the Kenai Peninsula since 2008 by providing free prom dresses, shoes and accessories donated by the community and by prom and gown stores across the country. This year, the organization received four large boxes of new dresses and a box of shoes from Peaches Boutique, based in Chicago.
“I wish I could have taken a picture of the last customer of our closet when she asked how much was the dress,” Pokryfki said. “We replied, ‘Nothing,’ she could not believe she could get that beautiful brand new, shining dress for free.”
In a departure from previous years, the event is being staffed by adults only to create a more welcoming environment for the students shopping at Cinderella’s Closet.
“I am concerned about the girls and I want to make sure they feel comfortable in coming to us,” Pokryfki said.
Cinderella’s Closet is still accepting donations of gently used formal dresses, shows and accessories.
Cinderella’s Closet was open March 6 and 7 with “a good number of girls coming through from various schools,” Pokryfki said. It will open again on March 21 and 23 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the choir room of Soldotna Prep School choir room at 426 West Redoubt Ave.
Reach Kat Sorensen at kat.sorensen@peninsulaclarion.com.
