The cvFree Prom Closet opens each year to provide prom dresses, dress shirts and pants, dress shoes, and accessories for a refundable $20 deposit. This year, the Closet has added a new event: a Get Ready With Me day from noon to 4 p.m. at the cvFree Silver extension, located at 23 Silver Street in Norwich. Volunteers will assist promgoers with hair, makeup, and nails, provide light refreshments, and offer photos in a photo booth. (Photo by Sarah Genter)

NORWICH — The cvFree Church Prom Closet has expanded their services this year to include a "Get Ready With Me" day from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 20 at the cvFree Silver extension, located at 23 Silver Street in Norwich.

Promgoers are invited to attend and spend the afternoon getting their hair, nails, and makeup done, enjoy light refreshments, and have their picture taken in a photo booth. The event is free to attend, but prior registration is required. Students attending prom this Saturday must RSVP by Friday, May 19 by messaging the cvFree Prom Closet Facebook page.

"We’re offering to do hair, nails, and makeup for anyone who needs those services for prom. There will be refreshments offered as well, and we're having a photographer come to do photos for them with like a photo booth area," said cvFree Prom Closet Ministry Lead Lexi Race.

"I was trying to think of the little things that mean a lot," she added. "A classic thing to do on the day of prom, but not everybody has the opportunity to do it."

Race said press on nails will be provided, and a professional nail technician will be on hand to add designs if desired. An additional seven volunteers will be assisting with hair and makeup, and more are willing to help if registration numbers increase.

"They can come with whatever inspo look they have, and we are going to have curling irons, straight irons, plenty of bobby pins, hair ties," said Race. "Between all of us, we’ll be able to do almost anything; An updo, or if they just wanted their hair curled. Whatever will make them happy that day, we’ll figure it out."

The cvFree Prom Closet began around eight years ago, and opens every year to provide prom dress rentals for a $20 refundable deposit. There are also dress shirts and pants, shoes, and accessories available.

This year the closet had over 80 dresses available in a wide range of sizes and styles, and they handed out a total of 18 dresses for 2023 promgoers.

Race credits the Prom Closet's success, and the newly-added Get Ready With Me day, to the volunteers who help out each year.

"I really owe them a lot of thanks and appreciation because I certainly wouldn’t have been able to, one, hand out 18 dresses this year, and two, be able to pull off this event without their support. So I give a lot of credit to my volunteers," said Race.

She said she hopes the Get Ready With Me event will continue to grow and continue in the coming years.

"We’re hoping that this year will be successful and have it continue to grow year after year. It’s been something in my heart since I took over as the lead of the ministry to do. So this is my third year as the lead and I’m finally making it happen."

Those looking to support the Prom Closet can do so by donating used prom dresses, formal shoes, jewelry, suit jackets, dress pants, and dress shirts. Race said the Closet is looking for formal shoes in particular.

Donations can be dropped off in the donation bin on the front porch of cvFree Church, or donors can contact the cvFree Prom Closet Facebook page.

For more information on the cvFree Prom Closet, visit the cvFree Prom Closet Facebook page.